Wrongly-accused mum died from overdose

JAYNE PEARCE

A BRAVE mum who fought for her innocence against false accusations died from a drug overdose before she could see the perpetrators brought to justice.

Mum of one Jayne Pearce (23) was found by police after overdosing on alcohol, an anti-depressant fluoxetine and cocaine at her flat in Heywood House on Eldon Street, Oldham on July 10 2016 an inquest heard.

She died just days before she was due to appear as a witness for the Crown Court against two women charged with perverting the course of justice after they had alleged that Jayne attempted to murder a baby.

Jayne, who suffered from anxiety, was arrested in January 2015 after police received a phone call alleging that she had gone up stairs of the house she had visited and tried to smother a baby.

A comment on Facebook, allegedly from Jayne, incriminated her further and she was charged and remanded in custody despite her telling police that her phone was an old phone and at the time of the comment didn't have the capability to use Facebook.

However, after being in Styal prison for three months, one of the witnesses rang police and admitted that the complaint was a fabrication and the Facebook comment was made by someone else as Jayne had left herself logged in on their phone after accessing her Facebook on it.

Three people were arrested for perverting the course of justice, a male was cautioned and two women were charged - both have now pleaded guilty and face sentencing.

Jayne, who struggled with drug and alcohol use, was found dead in her bedroom of her flat, days before she was due to appear as a witness at the trial in July 2016.

Strength

Police said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her death and Coroner Lisa Hasmere gave a conclusion of misadventure, stating that although the stress of the circumstances would have drove her to drug and alcohol use, she felt Jayne's strength of character removed suicide as a possibility.

She said: "I believe it did have a bearing upon her, she showed she had the strength to pursue the case to the end, I am going to discount the conclusion of suicide. There are too many doubts in my mind and you (Jayne's father Geoffrey Pearce) are fairly convinced that she didn't.

"Jayne died of a combined drug and alcohol toxicity against a back drop of anxiety and a impending crown court case in which she was due to give evidence for the crown.

She said: "That case which I believe would have had a bearing on her health and mental wellbeing.

"There is insufficient evidence to conclude that the deceased intended to take her own life and so I give a conclusion of misadventure."

Geoffrey Pearce, who described Jayne as a bubbly, fun person, and looks after her now four-year-old son, said: "Although Jayne was weak in some ways she had great strength of character deep down.

"She would've kept going for her little lad.

"She would've got a lot of that to prove her innocence.

"She was innocent and that was what kept her going."