Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 10 APRIL 2026

“He died because she didn’t ring triple zero. It’s manslaughter.” Which case won?

The deceased, the accused and another man were all misusers of prescription medications, in particular OxyContin. This is a brand name of oxycodone, an opioid drug prescribed by doctors for pain relief and misused by some for recreational purposes. They would "mull up" the tablets (ie dissolve them in water in a spoon) and then inject the drug intravenously.

AustraliaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration

The Facts

Misusers of prescription medications acquire Xanax and OxyContin tablets

The deceased, the accused and another man were all misusers of prescription medications, in particular OxyContin. This is a brand name of oxycodone, an opioid drug prescribed by doctors for pain relief and misused by some for recreational purposes. They would "mull up" the tablets (ie dissolve them in water in a spoon) and then inject the drug intravenously.

On one particular day, the group of three had procured some Xanax, a short-acting benzodiazepine which is prescribed by doctors to relieve anxiety and which is also misused by some for the purpose of intoxication.

While there was disagreement about the number of Xanax tablets procured and who took how many of those tablets, the court determined that all three members of the group had had some of the tablets.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

See more popular content from