A GUEST at a New Forest hotel died after taking a lethal combination of drink and drugs, a judge heard.

Rikki Knight was rushed to hospital where he was put on a ventilator in the intensive care unit. Two days later it was decided the machine should be switched off.

His partner Angela Gibbs had stolen Fentanyl patches and other medication from a box at a North London GP practice where she worked as a receptionist and put them into a travel bag.

Prosecutor Gavin Sumpter told Winchester Crown Court that at about 8.40am on February 2, an ambulance was called to the Premier Inn, Ower, where Gibbs had been trying to resuscitate him.

She was also unwell and vomiting. She then told the police: “I’ve been stupid, I’ve killed him.”

Both were taken to Southampton General Hospital for treatment and she was discharged.

“The amount of Fentanyl used by him was potentially fatal,” said Mr Sumpter.

“He had suffered irreversible damage to his brain before he was admitted to hospital.”

In a prepared statement, Gibbs confessed she had taken Fentanyl from work some months earlier.

In early February they stayed at the hotel where they had a meal and drinks.

They had read information on a leaflet about Fentanyl and each applied a patch on the other.

Afterwards he applied four others on himself, believing it would take eight or nine to have some affect as they were slow releases.

Gibbs, 46, from North Enfield, pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to three counts of stealing medication and one of supplying drugs.

Giving her a six-month suspended sentence with 12 months supervision and an order to do 50 hours unpaid work, Mr Justice Royce – who read a number of references from patients at the practice – told Gibbs stealing from a surgery was extremely serious.

“You passed some of the drugs on. He has died and you must live with the consequences of that.”

The court heard Gibbs was regarded as a valuable member of staff and had not been sacked but given a written warning.