POLICE PROBE 'FIRST HEROIN DEATH'

POLICE are investigating what is believed to be a heroin-related death in
north Belfast.

RUC sources have linked the death of a man in a flat at Skegoneill Avenue
yesterday with a heroin find in the same premises.

Detectives investigating the death were awaiting the outcome of a
post-mortem today.

An RUC spokesman said: "Police are investigating the sudden death of a man
at Skegoneill Avenue yesterday. A crime is not suspected." Drug campaigners
suspected the death was the first related to heroin use in Northern
Ireland, although a number of other people have died after using similar
opium-based drugs.

There are presently 162 registered heroin addicts in Northern Ireland. Use
of heroin is believed to be relatively low and is mostly confined to the
Ballymena area.

But Frank McGoldrick of the Eastern Drugs Coordinating Team said the size
of the heroin problem is not well defined.

"I'm not saying we have a huge problem, but it's got to be looked at," he
said.

"Dublin didn't realise they had a large problem until they put services in
place. We don't have those services, so how do we know the scale of our
problem?"

Meanwhile, a 23-year-old woman from Skegoniell Avenue appeared at Belfast
Magistrates today charged with possessing and supplying heroin.

Laura Jane Coleman spoke only to acknowledge she understood the charges
during the short hearing.

A detective constable from the RUC Drugs Squad said she believed she could
connect the accused to the charge.

The detective agreed with the defence lawyer that the supply charge was of
"a technical nature".

There is no question of the drug being dealt in or sold the defence lawyer
asked? "Not by the defendant," the RUC officer replied.

Ms Coleman was released on bail of £250 to appear at the same court on May
6.