Northamptonshire coroner tells Essex police to take action over alleged drug distributor after woman's death
A coroner has taken a highly unusual measure of telling a police force to act after the death of a Northamptonshire woman.
Senior Coroner for Northamptonshire Anne Pember took the rare step of asking Essex Police to take action after they previously declined to look into allegations of drug dealing in connection with the death of Heidi Audrey Diana Williams.
The coroner has now publicly issued a report which compels the force to outline the action they are going to take. In her report, Ms Pember says that Essex Police had previously ‘refused to’ investigate.
Ms Williams, who tragically died at her Northamptonshire home on December 14, 2024, is thought to have taken opiates and Bromazolam before her death. Both drugs are available on prescription but are sometimes sold illegally.
An inquest was opened and adjourned to examine the circumstances surrounding her death.
During the coronary process, it was discovered that Ms Williams had ordered a large number of tablets from a mobile number which also supplied banking details. The coroner said that these details were traced to a suspect with two addresses in Essex.
Although Northamptonshire Police had asked Essex Police to look into the matter in their county, public documents released by the coroner say that Essex Police ‘refused to do so’.
On January 13. Ms Pember issued a regulation 28 prevention of future deaths report, which has now been released.
A regulation 28 report can be issued by a coroner at any point if they feel they can intervene to prevent further deaths in similar circumstances. But it is extremely unusual for a coroner to issue such a report before a full inquest has taken place.
She has issued the report to the Chief Constable of Essex Police Ben-Julian Harrington, and has included the family of Ms Williams and Northamptonshire Police in her correspondence.
Ms Pember said Essex Police must respond before March 10 outlining the action they are now going to take.
This newspaper understands that the lack of action on the part of Essex Police was due to a conflict over the different addresses of the suspect, which are thought to traverse several force areas.
A statement from Essex Police said that they had now opened an investigation. A spokesman said: “We are carrying out an investigation into the illegal distribution of prescription drugs.
“Our enquiries are ongoing.”
The full inquest into the death of Ms Williams is due to take place in the coming months.