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A London mechanic and garage owner was able to use his business account to “bulk purchase” medicines used in a fatal overdose without appropriate checks being carried out, a coroner has reported. 

In a recently published prevention of future deaths report, assistant coroner for Surrey Anna Crawford wrote that Southfields Garage owner Paul Pidgeon was found dead in his home on March 20, 2022 after he had “deliberately overdosed on paracetamol” the day before. 

A number of empty packets of Galpharm Ibuprofen and Galpharm Paracetamol were found next to him. 

Mr Pidgeon’s death was caused by paracetamol toxicity as well as pre-existing coronary artery disease and hepatic steatosis “which made him more susceptible to succumbing to paracetamol toxicity,” wrote Ms Crawford. 

“It has not been possible” to establish Mr Pidgeon’s intentions in consuming excessive amounts of paracetamol, wrote the coroner, whose report issued on August 11 and published on the judiciary.uk website on Friday October 31. 

Evidence showed that he had used the garage’s trade account with wholesaler Booker’s Wimbledon branch to purchase paracetamol and ibuprofen on February 19, 2022 and made a subsequent purchase of paracetamol on March 5.

Mr Pidgeon’s business was not involved in the supply of medication to the public and he did not possess a wholesale distribution authorisation, the coroner wrote, adding: “It does not appear that any checks were carried out to confirm his status prior to the sales.”

The report stated: “The coroner is therefore concerned that Booker in Wimbledon, and therefore potentially Booker more widely, may be selling medicinal products to customers who are not authorised or entitled to supply them to the public. 

“Given the potential for this to result in significant amounts of medicines being sold in single transactions, the coroner is concerned that this gives rise to the risk of future deaths.” 

The report was sent to the Booker Group, which is obliged to respond to the coroner. Copies were sent to Mr Pidgeon’s family and to the MHRA. 

The Booker Group has been approached for comment.                                                                                     

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