London man guilty of manslaughter in drug death of 41-year-old woman

Reta Ismail reports on a London man charged with manslaughter in connection to a fatal drug overdose

A London man has been found guilty of manslaughter and criminal negligence causing death in connection with a fatal drug overdose that claimed the life of a 41-year-old woman in 2023.

Justice Marc Garson delivered the verdict in a London courtroom Tuesday, finding 35-year-old Jordan Colley responsible for trafficking cocaine contaminated with fentanyl that ultimately led to the death of Christina Bestward.

Bestward died inside her central London home in May 2023 after consuming cocaine purchased from Colley by her and her spouse, Daniel Gale.

Expert evidence presented during the trial showed both fentanyl and cocaine were present in Bestward’s system at the time of her death. The cause of death was determined to be multi-drug toxicity.

Gale also overdosed but survived after being rushed to hospital.

In his ruling, Garson warned about the dangers associated with drug trafficking and rejected the defence argument that other drugs consumed that day may have been purchased elsewhere.

“It does not matter if JC (Mr. Colley) believed he was trafficking cocaine. It is irrelevant whether JC knew he was trafficking cocaine laced with fentanyl. Both are controlled substances. A mistaken belief that the substance trafficked was pure cocaine, would not constitute a defence,” Garson said in his decision.

The judge said he accepted evidence that clearly and convincingly established that Colley trafficked cocaine that was contaminated with fentanyl. Court also heard Colley had been the couple’s cocaine supplier for nearly two years.

Lawyers are expected to schedule a sentencing date, on June 1, 2026.

Colley remains out on bail and is currently wearing an ankle monitor.