Marriage breakup blamed for suicide

Margo McAuley. Photo / Supplied

High-profile Wellington real estate agent Margo McAuley killed herself while "very much under stress" from the breakdown of her marriage, a coroner ruled yesterday.

Ian Smith said that although Ms McAuley had a "dangerous" level of the prescription sleeping pill zopiclone in her system when she took her life, it was unlikely to have contributed to her death.

Ms McAuley, 42, was found dead by her husband, Kim MacIntyre, at her Miramar home on October 29, 2008, a day after he told her he was ending the relationship. She believed he was leaving her for another woman.

Mr MacIntyre married Families Commissioner Christine Rankin about two months later - Ms Rankin publicly denied having an affair with Mr MacIntyre at the time of Ms McAuley's death.

Mr Smith said there were aspects of the suicide that raised concerns about zopiclone, a hypnotic and sedative drug used to treat transient, short-term and chronic insomnia. Ms McAuley had been taking the pills since 2005, and her dose increased over time, reaching up to four pills a night.

Evidence from a forensic scientist showed that, at the time of her death, Ms McAuley had a level of zopiclone in her system similar to cases of overdoses.

Psychiatrist Peter Ellis said she was taking an "excessive quantity of zopiclone" and it was clear she was dependent on it. He said the drug could lead people to do familiar things automatically, such as sleep-eating and sleep-driving, but it was unlikely she would do something as complex as her self-inflicted death. He said that despite this, he could not exclude the drug as a contributing factor.

Mr Smith concluded he was satisfied with the expert evidence, showing it was unlikely that automatism applied to Ms McAuley's death.

"The deceased was very much under stress from the breakdown of her marriage, including the fact that her husband had decided the marriage had been over for some time, and that she felt he was leaving her for another person.

"She may also have been under stress from business aspects and clearly she suffered from insomnia," he said.

Mr MacIntyre told the court in March his wife had suffered from anxiety and depression, and expressed concern over the amount of zopiclone she was taking.

He thought Ms McAuley had growing financial debt pressure with a reducing income.

In evidence submitted to the court, police statements showed Ms McAuley talked about taking her own life during the break-up.

Her sister Mary Brown, who was to visit from Ireland on October 30, spoke to Ms McAuley the day before her death. Ms McAuley told her she was exhausted and just wanted to go to sleep.

She said part of her planned visit was to arrange a visit to a doctor to discuss the dependency on sleeping pills. Mr Smith recommended the Medicines Adverse Reactions Committee and the Ministry of Health carry out a review on the prescription of any hypnotic medicines, including zopiclone.

Ms Rankin, whose appointment as a Family Commissioner was criticised after it emerged she married Mr MacIntyre so soon after his ex-wife's death, declined to comment.

- NZPA, staff reporter