Two drugs victims laid to rest

At the funeral of one of the three men who died from drugs overdoses at the weekend, the parish priest said the whole community was in mourning.

Father Brendan Beagan told mourners attending the funeral of 18-year-old Thomas Sterrett that people were left wondering how the deaths could have been avoided.

The funeral of a second man, 20-year-old James O’Connor who died following an overdose has also taken place in West Belfast. The third funeral, that for 22-year-old Eamon McCoubrey, is due to take place on Thursday.

Preliminary results of post-mortem examinations indicate that the three men died following poisoning from prescription drugs and alcohol.

All three had attended the same party just hours before they died.

West Belfast Sinn Fein assembly member Sue Ramsay has called for an urgent meeting with Northern Ireland Drugs Strategy Co-ordinator Jo Daykin to discuss a unified approach to tackle drugs abuse. (SP)