Coroner's Finding: Abbott, John

69y · Male·plastic bag asphyxia and mixed drug toxicity (oxycodone and pentobarbitone)

John Abbott, aged 69, died from plastic bag asphyxia and mixed drug toxicity (oxycodone and pentobarbitone) while under home detention bail with electronic monitoring. He had a complex medical history including chronic obstructive airways disease, chronic pain, depression, and recent psychiatric assessment revealing paranoid psychosis and neurocognitive decline. Despite appropriate specialist referrals and GP management by Dr G., Mr Abbott accessed voluntary euthanasia websites in June 2019 and obtained pentobarbitone. Facing potential imprisonment and with deteriorating health, he took his own life. The coroner found his GP care was professional and appropriate, and those supervising him had no reason to suspect suicide.