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Two of Joana Burns’ friends jailed for giving her the MDMA which killed her

They were given six months and two and a half years


Two people have been jailed for giving Hallam student Joana Burns the MDMA which killed her on a night out at Sheffield SU.

Her friends, both former Hallam students, were given six months and two and half years respectively.

Katherine Lavin, 21, was jailed for six months whilst Benjamin Williams, 25, was given two and a half years in prison for supplying the MDMA that killed the student.

Joana had been on a night out at The Tuesday Club to celebrate the completion of her Maths degree in June 2017. Lavin admitted in court to supplying the drug to Burns, whilst Williams was charged with supplying the drugs to Lavin.

Joana's boyfriend, Lewis Birch, said he paid £14 for two quarters of MDMA whilst Joana had taken a quarter, £7 worth. Birch previously told the inquest into Joana's death that the rest of the group who had taken the drug was unharmed.

The group had made the MDMA in bombs, with Joana taking a bomb in the early hours of the morning, before vomiting straight afterwards and collapsing in the Glossop Road area.

Lewis Birch, Joana's boyfriend, said: "I will always love you and you will be in my heart forever. I will never forget you and would give absolutely everything to have you back in my life.

"If anyone is ever thinking of taking any sort of drug – don’t full stop. It has torn my life apart. I am absolutely crushed right now."

Joana's mother, Mosca Burns, said that taking ecstasy was "not worth the risk".