Model Katy French's Friends Admit Drug Charges

Two friends of the top Irish model, Katy French, have admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply on the weekend she collapsed at their home almost five years ago.

The 24-year-old socialite slipped into a coma after visiting the home of Kieron Ducie and Ann Corcoran, and died in hospital four days later.

Traces of cocaine were found in her system and a post-mortem examination revealed she suffered brain damage.

Appearing at Trim District Court, Ducie, 43, and Corcoran, 31, admitted the drugs charges, which date back to December 1, 2007, when Miss French visited their Kilmessan home, in Co. Meath, days after celebrating her 24th birthday.

Her parents John and Janet and sister Jill maintained a bedside vigil as the model lay critically ill on a life support machine at Our Lady's Hospital in Navan.

Her mother and sister were in court to hear the former couple plead guilty to the charges, and left without speaking about the case.

They are expected to return when Ducie, who was dressed in a dark suit and yellow tie, and Corcoran, who wore a long dark coat, are sentenced on February 5 next year.

Judge Leonie Reynolds was told a second charge of recklessly supplying Miss French with drugs and failing to get medical assistance quickly enough had been dropped.

Miss French became a tabloid darling in the two years before her death.

She was born in Switzerland and had moved with her family to Ireland when she was a young girl, settling in Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.

Before her death she revealed she had used cocaine, branding it part of the Dublin social scene, but claimed she had quit the drug, warning others of its dangers.

The Olympic champion swimmer, Michelle de Bruin, Irish rugby star, Shane Byrne, and the singer, Chris de Burgh, were among hundreds of mourners at her funeral.