A coroner has ruled that there was ‘no criminal involvement’ in the death of a music teacher from Swindon following a police investigation.

Victoria Swinyard, known as Vicki to her family and friends, was a former music teacher who died in her Swindon home on June 30, 2023.

The 58-year-old had grown up in Cirencester and attended the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire before moving to Swindon to work as a teacher.

At the time of her death, she was diagnosed with terminal colon rectal cancer and had months left to live.

However, a post-mortem examination showed that Ms Swinyard did not die due to cancer.

High levels of tramadol and morphine were found in her system, and a police investigation was launched to explore the possibility that she had been overdosed.

Concluding the matter in an inquest held in Salisbury on Tuesday, October 8 2024, Senior Coroner David Ridley confirmed that Ms Swinyard’s cause of death was an overdose of painkiller medication as a result of suicide, and there was no criminal activity involved.

Wiltshire's Coroners's Court has ruled Victoria Swinyard's death as suicideWiltshire's Coroners's Court has ruled Victoria Swinyard's death as suicide (Image: Newsquest)

“On the evening of her death, Vicki asked that her children come to her house, she was given some pain relief by a district nurse and then her condition quickly deteriorated,” explained Senior Coroner Ridley.

“Vicki already had such high levels of tramadol and morphine in her blood that the dose given to her by the nurse did not significantly contribute to her death.

“Nurses thought she was dying naturally and had no reason to believe that earlier in the day she appears to have had some morphine and tramadol.

"Victoria had been diagnosed with an awful illness and she wanted to exit this world on her own terms."

A GP statement provided by Cricklade Surgery explained that Ms Swinyard was first diagnosed with cancer in 2021 and underwent surgery and chemotherapy, but when it came back she didn’t want to go through further treatment.

Recalling his last memories of his wife, Dr Peter Swinyard, a retired GP, added: “After she asked me to call her children, I sat with her on her bed.

"The last thing I said to her is that I loved her and she said I love you, Peter.

He added: “We had brought the box of painkillers back with us completely untouched after a holiday in Malta one month earlier.

“She was completely pain-free during that time. That holiday was one of the happiest memories I have got.”

Concluding the inquest, Senior Coroner Ridley added: "As there is no legal option for me to mark a death as 'assisted dying' in the UK, I have to conclude that Vicki's death was suicide."

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