In this post I’ll recap the evidence that the court heard when they reconvened after lunch on Day 1 of Jessie’s inquest. You can read my report on Jessie’s mother’s evidence to the jury here, and her father’s evidence and account of Jessie’s last five and a half years here. When we returned to court […]
The second witness that the court heard from on Day 1 was Jessie’s father, Andy Seares. Andy read his statement to the jury and he was giving evidence for well over an hour. I’ve tried to capture as much as it as I can. He described his professional background and told the court that he […]
Jessie Eastland Seares’ inquest hearing started this morning in a hotel in Brighton. Jessie died while she was detained under a section of the Mental Health Act. She was at the time of her death ‘in the care of the State’ so her inquest is an Article 2 inquest (Article 2 being the Right to […]
Jessie will be turning 21 in a couple of weeks but those who loved her are left to mark that day without her. Born in Brighton in early December 2002, Jessie was just 19 when she died 18 months ago, on 17 May 2022. Jessie loved her birthday, and her Mum, Kate, remembers how planning […]
Monday and Tuesday this week Assistant Coroner for Swansea, Aled Gruffydd, heard evidence in the inquest touching on the death of Shane West. He concluded the inquest yesterday, and stated his intention to issue a Prevention of Future Death Report to reflect what the court had heard over the past few days. I haven’t had […]
Last night I was up in London for an event organised by the Learning Disability Network London. When I was asked to speak I knew I’d struggle to turn down the invitation given the other speakers on the bill, Alexis Quinn, Sara Ryan and Amanda Topps, with chairing by Simon Jarrett. But before I agreed […]
I’ve been away from my laptop for a few days, ignored twitter, took some time away, swam in the sea (well more like just jumped the battering waves and felt glad to be alive and so small and insignificant in things), gave blood, visited friends, usual everyday things. Nothing wild but a break of sorts, […]
[Summary version: How Sally Lewis was failed, neglectfully, by Dimensions, Julie Campbell, Julie McGirr and all of those so called Support Workers responsible for providing her basic care. And how Sally was failed again by CQC]. Earlier this week Sally Lewis’s inquest concluded, with the coroner finding that her death was contributed to by the […]
I’ve written about apologies before, about the value of candour, about non apologies, the othering of learning disabled people and allegedly inquisitorial inquests. Today I’m more than a bit disappointed, but if I’m honest not surprised, to add Dimensions UK to the list. This is a post I wrote before Sally’s inquest started. In it […]
The final person called to give evidence at Sally’s inquest was Susan Wall, an Inspector at the CQC. The coroner had already explained in court that he was not calling Susan Wall to provide any evidence relating to Sally’s death, but to explain the timeline of their action that led to the failed criminal prosecution. […]