All my coverage of the prosecution of 9 care workers at Whorlton Hall is available below, in chronological order. The defendants are: Peter Bennett, 53, of Billingham – 3 charges Matthew Banner, 43, Newton Aycliffe – 6 charges Sarah Banner, 33, Newton Aycliffe – 3 charges Karen McGhee, 54, Darlington – 4 charges Ryan Fuller, […]
In March 2022 I live tweeted a four day hearing in the Court of Protection. This hearing related to William Verden, a 17 year old school boy who had steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome and was in end stage renal failure. The Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust had suggested that it wasn’t in William’s best interests […]
In Summer 2021 a short survey was shared on social media and with professional networks, inviting journalists who have reported, or attempted to report, from coroners’ courts in England and Wales during the covid pandemic to respond. We asked people to share their experiences of accessing coroners’ courts to report during covid and we made […]
In January 2021 I live tweeted the first conjoined domestic abuse appeal in twenty years. It was related to how the Family Court handles allegations of domestic abuse. My attendance was funded thanks to a crowdfunder organised by Scutiny. The background shared was as follows: Increasingly fierce criticism of the way the family justice system deals […]
In Autumn 2020 there was a parliamentary inquiry into The Coroner Service. This is what the background to it states: The Coroner Service exists to identify the deceased in a local area and ascertain causes of death. Coroners must investigate deaths that have been reported to them if they think that: the death may have […]
This two day hearing took place on 29 and 30 July 2020 in front of Rt Hon Mr Justice Kerr at the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, Administrative Court. There were two claimants, Amber Shaw (pictured), with her mother and litigation friend Deanne Shaw and an anonymous claimant ABC, with his mother and […]
This hearing at the Court of Appeal (Court 33 at the Royal Courts of Justice) took place on 15 February 2019 in front of the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane (the most senior family judge in the land) and Lady Justice King. The claimant was journalist and transparency campaigner, Louise Tickle, who […]
In April 2017 I agreed to work as a Specialist Advisor on the CQC Deaths Review. My focus was how the review could engage with, hear from and reflect the views and experiences of bereaved families. The review came about as a direct result of the Mazars Review into Southern Health, secured as a result […]
I was the family representative for Connor Sparrowhawk’s family on the review commissioned by David Nicholson, shortly before he retired as CEO of NHS England. The review, conducted by Mazars, looked at the deaths of learning disabled people, and those using mental health services at Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust between April 2011 and March […]
I have a particular interest in knowledge mobilisation and the application of research into practice, having previously conducted research in the fields of psychology, special education, early years education and social care. Since 2013 I have worked in a freelance capacity with researchers, policy makers, care providers and sector-led improvement organisations. I am interested in […]
Throughout this fellowship, I had a number of objectives: To see first‐hand how deaths of learning disabled people/ people with developmental disabilities in Canada, Australia and New Zealand are investigated with a focus on the involvement of bereaved relatives and families To liaise with policy makers, disabled people, advocates, academics, journalists and legal professionals to […]