Michala Pyke, 37, is alleged to have given drugs to her daughter so she could have sex with her boyfriend without being disturbed. Photo / Michala Pyke, Facebook
Michala Pyke, 37, is alleged to have given drugs to her daughter so she could have sex with her boyfriend without being disturbed. Photo / Michala Pyke, Facebook
A drug addict accused of lacing a four-year-old girl who later died with drugs has told a jury he was too drugged up and 'off his nut' to know what he was doing.
John Rytting, 40, and his girlfriend of nine months Michala Pyke, 37, allegedly spiked Poppy Widdison with ketamine, methadone and diazepam so they could have sex.
Poppy - the daughter of Pyke - died in 2013 but the cause of her death was inconclusive, even though she 'lived in an environment where drugs were present', a court heard.
When police raided Rytting's squalid flat at his home in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, they found drugs next to the sofa near where Poppy slept.
Later they also discovered more than 1,000 tablets of controlled drugs left scattered around in blister packs.
Pyke, also of Grimsby, and her boyfriend each deny two offences of cruelty towards Poppy while responsible for her, between January 1 and June 9, 2013, causing unnecessary suffering.
One of the charges involves claims that they encouraged Poppy to eat prescription or controlled drugs and the other that they assaulted her, causing bruising.
They both admit cruelty involving accommodating Poppy in a house where drugs were unsecured and within the reach of a child and Pyke admits cruelty involving emotional abuse.
Rytting denies possessing cannabis with intent to supply and Pyke denies possessing methadone with intent to supply and supplying methadone.
Rytting admits fraudulently importing Temazepam between July 1, 2011 and June 9, 2013 and admits being concerned in supplying diazepam and Temazepam.
Michala Pyke, 37, is alleged to have given drugs to her daughter so she could have sex with her boyfriend without being disturbed. Photo / Michala Pyke, Facebook
At Hull Crown Court, he told the jury between January and June 2013 he was battling a heroin addiction taking a variety of tablets and did not know what he was doing.
He said: 'I cannot say anything 100 percent about that time. I was taking a lot of drugs at the time. I was off my nut.
'I was out of my face obviously because of the temazepam and diazepam. During the period April June we are talking about. I was constantly like this between 2013 and in 2012.'
He denied administering drugs to Poppy Widdison to help make her sleep so he could have a relationship with Michaela Pyke.
He said he had started talking drugs since the ages of 13 not being able to finish school moving on to heroin age of 15
Rytting added: 'I took methadone, diazepam and temazepam from my doctor to deal with the side effects.
'In April May and June 2013 I was trying to give up. I thought I was doing OK. I stopped using heroin every day.'
He admitted in 2013 he was importing diazepam from abroad, paying £200 a time for 1,000 tablets.
The jury has been told on June 2 2013, a week before the Poppy Widdison's death, Pyke had sent the message to Rytting: 'Got a bottle of wine if u wanna share.
'Text back before I leave in half an hour. She can have a blue Smartie and go sleep lol! XXX.'
Rytting replied: 'U ok.'
Pyke replied: 'Do you wanna share this wine. Or do you want to by Purple Sowers. Only got £4. Get them blue Smarties ready - the one she likes! Lol XX'
Judge Jeremy Richardson, QC, told the jury in his opening remarks: 'I have no doubt when you heard the allegations were of cruelty there was an emotional response. It is entirely understandable.
'You must put emotion to one side. You must try this case coldly and calmly - nothing more, nothing less.
