Newcastle University student Jeni Larmour died from effects of alcohol and ketamine inquest told

Jeni Larmour’s mother started the hearing at Newcastle Coroner’s Court with a detailed pen portrait about her high-achieving daughter who died aged just 18 on October 3, 2020.

The former deputy head girl at the Royal Armagh Grammar School, from Newtonhamilton, had just arrived at Newcastle University where she was studying urban planning and architecture.

Pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper said that a toxicology report showed she had a blood alcohol level of 197mg per 100ml of blood – putting her around two and a half times over the legal driving limit, indicating “at least a moderate level of intoxication”.

Dr Cooper said tests revealed she had 1.3mg of ketamine per litre of blood, a level below what would usually be considered fatal.

But the two together were likely to have severely depressed her nervous system and he recorded the cause of death to be “the effects of a combination of alcohol and ketamine”.

Her mother Sandra paid tribute to her daughter, saying she flourished at school “with her huge personality, confidence and humour”.

The A* student was popular with pupils, teachers and parents alike, she was a trained classical singer and a leader with the school’s cadet force.

Her mother said: “Jeni’s bag was always packed and I am proud she had a varied experience of life in her limited years.”

Student Kavir Kalliecharan, 19, from Leeds, told the inquest Ms Larmour supplied him with ketamine that night.

Now aged 20, he said seven members of the flat in Park View halls had pre-drinks as they got to know each other, then went to Points Bar in the city’s Bigg Market.

Before going out he was “drunk”, having consumed vodka mixed with squash, as well as sambuca.

He said Ms Larmour was not allowed entry to the bar as she had forgotten her student ID, so he took a taxi with her back to the flat to get it.

After he used the en-suite toilet in his room, he claimed she knocked on the door.

He told the inquest: “She was holding two bags and said one had ketamine in and offered if I would like to have some.”

He claimed she made two lines of the powder, and while using her phone to film a Snapchat.

He said he sniffed a line by covering a nostril and immediately felt dizzy and went to the toilet to vomit.

Ms Larmour had been lying on his bed and came in to check on him, he said.

“I remember throwing up and then passing out in the bathroom,” he said.

When he woke up at about 5am the next day, he found Ms Larmour lying face down on the floor in his room.

“I tried to wake her up, I thought she had passed out, that’s when I went to get other members of the flat to help,” he told the hearing.

“I told them we had taken ketamine, I said I thought she was in a ‘k-hole’ which is passing out from taking ketamine.”

Mr Kalliecharan, who is still a student, was initially checked out at hospital then interviewed by police.

The inquest continues.