A MAN today spoke of his remorse after he supplied methadone to a best friend, who later died.

And Steve McLoughlin - who may now face a manslaughter charge - said today: "I am going to take my punishment."

Blackburn magistrates heard that McLoughlin, 35, had been childhood friends with Garry Dixon, 37.

The court was told that drug addict McLoughlin issued a warning about mixing the heroin substitute with alcohol to Mr Dixon before handing his friend the bottle.

And the court was told that McLoughlin could still face a manslaughter charge after Mr Dixon was found dead at his home in Douglas Place, Blackburn, on Monday morning.

McLoughlin, also of Douglas Place, pleaded guilty to supplying his friend with methadone and heroin.

Speaking after the court case he said he was "absolutely shattered" by what had happened as a result of his actions.

He said: "Garry was my best mate, I never thought anything like this would happen and I am gutted.

"I am going to take my punishment and whatever it is I can't feel any worse than I do now.

"This should act as a warning to anyone else about the dangers of mixing drugs and alcohol.

"I should never have let Garry do it."

The magistrates ordered pre-sentence reports and warned McLoughlin that custody would be one of the options to be considered.

He was remanded on bail until March 7.

Neil White, prosecuting, initially applied for the case to be adjourned so that the results of toxicological tests could establish that death was definitely due to the combination of methadone and alcohol because he said the post-mortem examination had been inconclusive.

He said that toxicological evidence may well lead to the police laying a charge of manslaughter. Andrew Church-Taylor, defending, said: "If the police subsequently decide to charge him with manslaughter that is open to them."

Mr White read from the statement of Mr Dixon's girlfriend, Anna Jones, who had spent Saturday night with him.

She said he had got up at about 8am and started drinking strong cider. By the time she got up at 10am she said he was drunk.

Miss Jones said Mr Dixon was depressed over the suicide of a friend.

In the weeks before his own death he had started taking heroin and she thought he was becoming a drug addict.

Late on Sunday night McLoughlin had been at the flat and Mr Dixon had asked him for some methadone. She said that as far as she was aware he had never taken the heroin substitute before.

She said: "Garry was told by Steven that he couldn't have methadone because he had drunk alcohol.

"Steven told Garry that it would kill him.

"Garry said he wasn't bothered, he just wanted it."

Mr White said Mr Dixon took the bottle and finished the contents in one gulp.

Miss Jones revealed that Mr Dixon apparently fell asleep and she and McLoughlin left the flat.

She asked McLoughlin if her boyfriend would be all right and he said he would "just have a good night's sleep."

Mr Church-Taylor said the bottle McLoughlin handed over was his weekend supply of 90mls.

"Without the other two being able to stop him, Mr Dixon swallowed the full bottle in one swig," said Mr Church-Taylor.

After Mr Dixon fell asleep McLoughlin and Miss Jones removed the cider from the flat so he could not drink any more. They checked on him twice and found him sleeping but the following morning he was clearly dead and they raised the alarm."