A Canning Town mum likely collapsed and died after taking a cocktail of drugs, a court has heard.

The death of Nicola O’Shea, 50, was referred to a forensic pathologist last year after “extensive injuries” were found on her body.

But East London Coroner’s Court in Walthamstow has now heard they may have been caused weeks before her death.

Mrs O’Shea was found dead on her bedroom floor at Anchor House, Barking Road, on June 17, 2023.

Paramedics recorded that she had been dead for some time. Rigor mortis had set in and there was some discolouration to her body.

In November 2023, coroner Graeme Irvine said the mum-of-seven, born in Plaistow, had 19 recent injuries.

But coroner Nadia Persaud told an inquest on Monday, April 22, that medical records had since revealed Mrs O’Shea was treated for injuries in April 2023.  

Mrs O’Shea told hospital staff she suffered fractures to her wrist, pelvis and ribs when she was hit by a moped.

There was no independent evidence to support that, said Mrs Persaud, but none to contradict it either.

The injuries, plus evidence Mrs O’Shea had suffered domestic abuse in the past, had prompted what Mrs Persaud called “a very, very detailed assessment of the body” by forensic pathologist Dr Ben Swift.

But he said bruising around her eye socket and cheek was not fresh. He found no injuries that could have contributed to her death, attributing it to “multi-drug toxicity”.

Tests found alcohol, cocaine, cannabis, heroin, methadone and prescribed psychiatric drugs in her system.

Relatives told the court that after going through “difficult times”, Mrs O’Shea “was introduced to recreational drugs such as cocaine and MDMA”, then “progressed to crack cocaine and heroin”.

Despite efforts to go clean, she relapsed and her physical and mental health “deteriorated” in the last year of her life.

A week before her death, she was seen among revellers at West Ham’s open-top bus celebration after winning the Europa Conference League. The parade began in Barking Road, where she lived.

The court heard Anchor House was a supported accommodation block for adults with complex needs.

Staff there last saw Mrs O’Shea, “happy and cheerful” but “intoxicated”, the day before finding her dead.

Receipts showed she had bought food and cleaning products hours before she died.

“There is no evidence that she intended to take her own life,” said Mrs Persaud, recording her death as alcohol/drug-related.

Mrs O’Shea’s son Anthony said she was loved and missed by him, his siblings (Sonny, Emily, Jade, Rock, Annie and Chris) and her sister Shelly.