A GRAVESEND man who killed his “happy, caring and fun-loving” friend by spiking his beer with anti-depressant tablets has today been jailed for five years.

Lee Webster, 26, of Harmer Street, denied the manslaughter of 30-year-old Jason Wood but was found guilty following a week-long trial at Maidstone Crown Court yesterday.

Father-of-two Webster, along with co-defendant Steven McNamara, 27, of Camden Square in Ramsgate, had previously pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by hiding the bottle of anti-depressants.

This morning Webster was jailed for four-and-a-half-years for the manslaughter charge and six months for perverting the course of justice.

McNamara was jailed for six months for perverting the course of justice but walked free from court today, having already served his sentence in custody since his arrest.

Sentencing, Judge Philip Statman said: “Jason Wood was a comparatively young man when his life was tragically cut short.

“Although he was not without health difficulties and problems with his alcohol consumption, he was much loved by his family and friends.

“From the statements I have read he was a character.

“All of those members of his family had given him great support and they miss him terribly.”

Addressing Webster, he said: “You were his friend. No one suggests for one moment you had any desire to end his life.

“You knew what the effects of mirtazapine were as a regular user.

“You knew the effect of one single tablet, in so far it causes drowsiness, and you would have been well aware from the box or bottle there is a warning not to take the drug with alcohol.”

Webster and McNamara were drinking with Mr Wood in Ramsgate on October 21 last year when Webster poured 27 of his own prescribed anti-depressant tablets into Mr Wood’s beer.

Shortly afterwards, Webster and McNamara went to bed leaving Mr Wood downstairs for the night.

When a friend arrived at the property the following morning, he discovered Mr Wood was not breathing and dialled 999.

McNamara admitted at an earlier hearing to recommending that Webster should dispose of the bottle of pills if he worried about it being traced back to him.

Webster ripped off the label and threw the bottle down the drain. It was never found.

Oliver Saxby QC, defending Webster, said: "There was an element of messing around here.

“Webster had taken mirtazapine for a while.

“He had consumed enormous amounts of it himself in one go and had seriously overdosed on it and of course he survived.

“So in his mind it was not a particularly dangerous drug.

“Within a month or so of it happening his conscious got the better of him and there was a leak through Facebook, text messages and so on, compromising of a series of confessions.”

"He is sadly missed by all"

A statement from Mr Wood’s family, which was released following the guilty verdict, said: “Jason was a happy, caring and fun-loving son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend to many.

“He is sadly missed by all.

“The past seven months have been very difficult for the family.

“Knowing that justice has been served will help to give us peace. We ask you to now let us grieve in private.

“We would like to thank everyone who has supported us over this very difficult time.”

"Spiking someone else's drink should not be considered a joke"

Speaking after today’s sentencing verdict, investigation officer Detective Inspector Chris Carter from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “Although Lee Webster never intended to kill or harm Jason Wood, he was responsible for his death.

“Spiking, or secretly putting drugs or substances into someone else’s drink should not be considered ‘fun’ or a joke.

“It can have very serious consequences which Jason’s family and friends and Mr Webster, will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

“Anyone involved in trying to cover up an offence, in this case McNamara, will be prosecuted.

“This verdict shows this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.”