A WOMAN misguidedly tried to help an ill friend, who later died, by supplying her with large quantities of a strong painkiller, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

Donna McConnell, 41, was sentenced to a community order and told by a judge that the consequences of the death would have impacted on her.

McConnell, of Parkstone Drive, Eccleshill, supplied 43-year-old Tracey Boyle with between 300 and 600 dihydrocodeine tablets, over three months early last year, to manage her acute pain.

She admitted three counts of supplying a Class B drug.

Prosecutor John Bull said Boyle was found dead at her home on April 19 as a result of a pulmonary event brought on by consumption of drugs and alcohol.

One of the cocktail of drugs she had taken was dihydrocodeine.

Mr Bull said the dead woman had a history of self harm, bipolar disorder, drug overdoses and other illicit drug use. She led a chaotic lifestyle.

The prosecutor said the defendant was the only person who supplied her with dihydrocodeine. A post-mortem examination revealed a higher than normal level of that drug was in her blood.

In mitigation, McConnell's solicitor-advocate, Anne-Marie Hutton, said her client had punished herself time and time again for what had happened.

Judge Peter Benson said there was no direct causal link between the taking of the painkillers and Tracey Boyle's death.

He told McConnell: "I stress very clearly there is no suggestion your actions caused her death, and I am satisfied you had no personal benefit in supplying the drugs.

"You, in your misguided way, thought you were assisting a friend."

Judge Benson said he had read references which spoke very highly of her kindness to others. He added: "I think there was an element of kindness that has led you to appear in this court."

McConnell was given a 12-month community order, with supervision by probation, including attending the Together Women Project, and a two-month curfew at her home address between 8pm and 6am.