SCENES of crime officer Kevin Morgan told the inquest that he had seen dozens of drugs- related deaths during a 38-year career, but Rachel Whitear's was unique.

"Once inside (the bedroom) I noticed it was very tidy," said the Devon and Cornwall officer. "Drug users are usually very untidy, but in here there was no sign of mess, a struggle or a search."

The question of the capped syringe found beside her dead body was raised again by the Coroner, Ian Arrow, who asked if it was a usual sight at drug related death scenes: "I can't recall any other incidences where that has happened," said Mr Morgan. "Sometimes they're on the floor, sometimes they're not even next to the body.

"I have also never had a drug death where a person has been kneeling down."

Mr Morgan told the hearing that the door to Rachel's bedroom was slightly ajar.

The Holcrofts had asked witnesses whether it was possible for someone to enter the room while not moving the body, and also pointed out that Rachel would not take drugs with the door open.

That question was put to Darren Tynan, the landlord of the bedsit who found Rachel's body.

He told the hearing that he was not aware that Rachel was taking drugs, otherwise would not have rented the flat to her.

Responding to suggestions from Pauline Holcroft that he heard two people upstairs - allegedly Luke Fitzgerald and his brother Simon - on the day of Rachel's death, Mr Tynan said his property was a terraced house, and it was hard to distinguish noises from each property.

Rachel's heroin habit and her relationship with Luke were revisited by the next witness, Michelle Farrow, a former partner of Luke, now serving a custodial sentence.

Flanked by three officers, she told the jury that Luke had helped inject Rachel on two occasions in the past, and introduced her to heroin.

"We were in Whitecross House and her and Luke were in a room with other people,"Ms Farrow said.

"Rachel was trying to inject herself with heroin and asked someone for help because she was having trouble. Luke went towards Rachel, offering to help - I didn't actually see him injecting her but when I got back from the toilet she was high."

Ms Farrow also recalled another incident, this time at a flat at The Oval, Belmont, Hereford, where she saw Luke inject heroin into Rachel, although she was not sure where.