Man ingested lethal amount of cocaine, inquiry told

A Perth man had a lethal amount of cocaine in his blood when he died during a police drugs raid at his home, an inquiry has heard.

A fatal accident inquiry into the death of convicted drug dealer Stuart Sandeman, 37, heard that a combination of the cocaine in his system and the stress of the surprise raid could have resulted in his death.

Professor Michael Eddleston, of the National Poisons Information Service, said: “There was a large amount of cocaine already in his body, probably from the previous hours.”

An autopsy revealed he had died as a result of the adverse effects of cocaine and physical restraint, as well as physical obesity.

Professor Eddleston said: “Physiological stress was for sure there as he was responding to things that were a surprise to him.

“It’s possible he would have died without restraint because of the cocaine and the stress.”

The inquiry continues.