Deceased
Paul Bermingham
Demographics
38y, male
Date of death
2013-12-16
Finding date
2015-12-18
Cause of death
Toxicity to methylamphetamine
AI-generated summary
Paul Bermingham, a 38-year-old man with a history of recreational drug use, experienced acute behavioural changes consistent with methamphetamine intoxication on 15 December 2013. He displayed paranoid delusions, hyperactivity, and bizarre behaviour after consuming methylamphetamine within 12-24 hours prior. When police attended to apprehend him under Mental Health Act powers for his safety, he resisted physically during handcuffing. He lost consciousness during restraint and suffered a lethal cardiac arrhythmia secondary to methylamphetamine toxicity, exacerbated by physical exertion, stress, and the arrest itself. The coroner found police conduct appropriate, with no excessive force. The clinical lesson is that stimulant toxicity can cause sudden cardiac death particularly when combined with intense physical activity and stress, and that prompt recognition and medical support for acute drug intoxication is critical.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
18y · Male·drowning in a motor vehicle accident
MK, 18 years old, died by drowning after his car entered Isabella Pond following a motor vehicle accident. Witnesses observed him inhaling from a balloon-shaped object while driving through a roundabout. A large nitrous …
39y · Male·Multidrug toxicity (GHB, methylamphetamine, ketamine) in a setting of restraint …
Anthony Parisi, 39, died from multidrug toxicity (GHB, methamphetamine, ketamine) in a setting of police restraint and moderate coronary artery atherosclerosis. He consumed large quantities of GHB and methamphetamine on …
24y · Male·Multiple Traumatic Injuries sustained as a result of motor vehicle crash during …
Two young men aged 24 and 25 died in a motor vehicle crash during a police pursuit on the M4 Motorway. Police conducted a high-speed speed check (up to 232 kph in an 80 kph zone) for approximately 73 seconds without acti…
Source and disclaimer
This page reproduces or summarises information from publicly available findings published by Australian coroners' courts. Coronial is an independent educational resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of any coronial court or government body.
Content may be incomplete, reformatted, or summarised. All court orders for redaction and non-publication are respected; documents with technically defective redaction have been excluded from the database entirely. Always refer to the original court publication for the authoritative record.
Copyright in original materials remains with the relevant government jurisdiction. AI-generated summaries and tagging are for educational purposes only, may contain inaccuracies, and must not be treated as legal documents. We welcome feedback for correction —