Woman becomes first named Briton to fall ill taking toxic opiate 'krokodil'

A woman has become the first named Briton to have fallen ill after taking “krokodil”, a homemade opiate 10 times stronger than morphine.

Emma Davies, 41, reportedly suffered "horrific" open sores from using desmorphine, an ultra-cheap heroin substitute in which crushed codeine pills are often mixed with toxic substances such as petrol and paint thinner.

The drug has been widely branded “flesh-eating” due to the potentially devastating side effects of intravenous use, which can include abscesses, dead tissue, and gangrene.

Its street name derives from the “greenish and scaly” appearance of damaged skin around injection sites.

First developed in the US as a painkiller in the 1930s, desomorphine re-emerged in the early 2000s as a recreational drug in Russia, where it led to a lethal epidemic.

Health experts in the US, South America and Europe have since raised concerns about the spread of the drug, although there have been no reported deaths in the UK.

Reports of Davies’s case emerged during a hearing at Cheltenham Magistrates Court, where she faced a shoplifting charge.

Davies was unable to attend a hearing in August last year because she had taken krokodil and was being treated in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, the court heard.

Her barrister Clare Buckley said she missed court after “a rather unpleasant blood infection caused large ulcers on her arms”.

Davies, of Tredworth, Gloucestershire, appeared at a rescheduled hearing on Monday and admitted theft.

Ms Buckley told the court her client had suffered severe health issues after years of abusing various Class A drugs. She suffered two heart attacks last year, as well as a stroke, Hepatitis C and deep vein thrombosis.

She also has scarred lungs, an enlarged spleen and recently recovered from MRSA, the court heard

The barrister said: “She wants to move forward with her life. She wants a [rehabilitation] script.

“She is aware if she continues the way she is going she will meet an early demise, which would be very sad.”

Davies was in court after she and another woman, Marsha Woodwart, were caught shoplifting more than £900 of goods from three Gloucester shops.

Ms Buckley said Woodwart had been “bullying” Davies and forcing her to hand over her benefits.

Woodwart stole the majority of the items and continued even after Davies told her to “slow down”, the barrister added.

“Miss Davies was going to swap the items for drugs and food,” she added. “This was the first occasion she felt remorse for her actions as she was due to start a drug rehab programme the next day.”

Ms Buckley said the defendant was living with other drug users in unsuitable accommodation at the time of the offence.

She added that Davies has since moved into a new home with “a man of good character”.

Presiding justice Peter Liver handed Davies a 12-month community order including 30 rehab days. She was ordered to pay £220.

Woodwart was put on a six-month rehab programme and given a fine at an earlier previous court date.

SWNS