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Jon Brady & Michelle Cullen

New mum 'died after taking cocaine' on first night out after giving birth

A new mum died after she met two men who are accused of killing her by giving her cocaine, a court has heard.

Rebecca Tollan passed away on her first night out after giving birth at a house in Bellshill, Lanarkshire.

Barry McAuley, 40, and Martin Stewart, 34, went on trial on Tuesday charged with culpable homicide.

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The pair are alleged to have "recklessly and unlawfully" given 23-year-old Rebecca a "potentially lethal" class A drug on July 14 and 15, 2019, at the Railway Tavern pub in Motherwell, Lanarkshire and at the house in Bellshill, reports the Daily Record.

The indictment states Rebecca died after "ingesting" the drug.

McAuley and Stewart deny the accusations at the High Court in Glasgow.

Rebecca's sister-in-law Pamela Tollan, 31, was the first witness in the trial today. The women had gone out on July 14 and eventually ended up in a beer garden at the Railway Tavern.

Two drinks, apparently ordered by the men, arrived at the women's table. Rebecca initially thought she recognised them, so the pair walked over to the men and sat with them.

Asked by prosecutor Alex Prentice KC if she would recognise the two men again, the witness pointed to McAuley and Stewart in the dock.

She found out one was called Barry-John and said the other man's name was Martin.

Pamela said the group were "having a laugh and a bit of banter". The witness told how Rebecca - who she knew as Becky - then asked them if they had any "stuff".

Pamela said: "I knew exactly what she meant...asking if they had any cocaine." The court heard Barry John went on to give Pamela "a wee bag".

Pamela later ended up needing to visit the loo, and her sister-in-law joined her.

Mr Prentice asked: "Did you think Becky had another purpose to go to the toilet?" Pamela replied: "To get the bag."

Jurors heard Rebecca took cocaine in the toilet before the women returned to the two men. They all then went to the house in Bellshill.

Pamela recalled seeing four lines of cocaine on a black plate. After Pamela returned from the toilet, there was only one line of the drug left.

Mr Prentice asked the witness at one stage: "Did you take a line?" She replied: "No, as I am a bit of a scaredy-cat."

Pamela told the trial she later saw more cocaine and believed Rebecca took some.

Mr Prentice asked: "Were you concerned about the amount she was taking?"

Pamela said: "Becky was her own person. No matter how much you told her, she would not listen.

"I did tell her: 'You do not need it...you are having a good time'. I told her to stop because you do not need it."

Pamela eventually asked Martin to call a taxi to take the women home. Mr Prentice asked if anything then happened.

An emotional Pamela said: "Becky started shaking. I just thought she was cold to start with.

"Martin asked was she epileptic, and I said no. Martin put her in the recovery position.

"I was saying: 'What is happening to her?' I was shouting: 'Becky, Becky'."

Pamela recalled seeing blood with Rebecca having possibly bit her tongue. She also recalled the fitting being "constant".

Emergency crews soon arrived to try and help her. Pamela continued: "I kept saying: 'Becky, come on'. I tried to calm her and say it was alright."

Attempts were made to save Rebecca at the house, but she never recovered. The court heard the man Pamela knew as Barry John was also unwell.

Stewart's KC later quizzed the witness on how much the women had to drink that day and night.

Donald Findlay, defending, said: "She (Rebecca) had given birth - was this the first time she had gone out since coming out the hospital?"

Pamela replied: "Yes." Mr Findlay then asked: "During her pregnancy, she abstained from alcohol?" The witness again agreed.

The defence advocate then said: "Presumably, she did not take cocaine either?" Pamela stated she did not.

Mr Findlay asked: "So, the last time she would have been drinking would have been nine months before?" Pamela replied: "Yes."

Stewart, of Viewpark, North Lanarkshire, faces separate charges of being involved in the supply of cocaine and cannabis. McAuley, also of Bellshill, features on one of those cocaine charges.

The trial before judge Lord Clark continues.

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