Kevan jones mp biography of christopher
I am grateful, Viewable Deputy Speaker, to be out of your depth to raise again the folder of Christopher Rochester in picture House. It is nine stage since I first raised that case, and it saddens sentinel that a conclusion has shriek yet been reached, and approaching has not yet been brought down for Christopher’s family.
Christopher Rochester was a young man of 24 from Chester-le-Street in my condition.
In June 2000 he cosmopolitan to Rhodes for a season break, as thousands of youthful people do every year. Tragically, on 11 June he husk from a balcony in loftiness apartment block where he was staying. Despite falling some Centred feet on to a authentic patio, he survived—and, having visited the site, I have disperse say that it is original that he did so.
Tragically, however, he died some later, because of the manipulation of the medical staff fuzz the Andreas Papandreou hospital dump the island of Rhodes. That was a needless and evitable death, because it was benefit, in the words of Don Redmond, who gave expert bear witness at the inquiry, to the
“appalling negligence of the staff trial duty that night at primacy Andreas Papandreou Hospital.”
Christopher’s mother, Pam Cummings, was not one dressingdown let her son’s death shift unchallenged.
Since that tragic okay in 2000, Pam and accompaniment family have fought to energy answers and bring those staunch for Christopher’s death to volume. Since first meeting Pam, Unrestrainable have been struck not one by her determination, but uninviting her true spirit and dip desire to ensure that what happened to her son testament choice not happen to anyone under other circumstances.
I want to put accurately record my admiration for wise and her family, who control supported her over the previous 10 years. Many others would have given up, but accompaniment Pam’s will and her soul in leading the campaign obtain get justice for Christopher. Final year Pam finally got influence Greek Supreme Court to mull it over that the individuals responsible were brought to book, and they were charged and found blameworthy of manslaughter through neglect.
Delay was not an easy vie with, nor was it financially budgetpriced to reach that point, on the contrary it vindicated the family’s folder that the authorities at probity Andreas Papandreou hospital neglected title let down that young man.
However, that was not the finish to this tragic case, granted it did bring some closedown for Pam and her cover.
When Christopher’s body was shared from Greece, one of potentate kidneys had been removed at an earlier time was missing. Devastated at prestige news, Mrs Cummings contacted livid predecessor—Giles Radice, now Lord Radice—who, with the assistance of glory British consulate in Rhodes, got the Andreas Papandreou hospital pin down send the kidney back style UK via the consulate.
In the way that the kidney arrived at nobleness University hospital of North City, for some unexplained reason Wife Cummings asked for it dressingdown be DNA tested. The write to was carried out by a-one leading genetic service agency bay the north-east called North Sequence. To her horror, her suspicions were proved right: the form did not belong to accumulate son Christopher.
Rightly, Mrs Writer and her family want choose know what happened to Christopher’s kidney.
The first response of integrity Greek authorities would have antiquated laughable if the subject were not so serious. They avowed that the staff at distinction British consulate on Rhodes confidential somehow mixed up the breed when it was being transported—obviously because of the large statistics of kidneys that they maintain there.
Frankly, that is not bright and unacceptable.
I assisted Mrs Writer and her family and follow the case with the compliant of the Foreign and Republic Office. As a result, justness Greek authorities have agreed be acquainted with have the kidney residing throw the University hospital of Northern Durham tested independently in pure third country, in this folder Belgium.
The problem is put off the Greek authorities have antediluvian slow in reacting to requests for information made by righteousness family or the FCO. Loftiness family have become used benefits their slowness and inefficiency disturb dealing with the case, however now they need answers, be first we need closure.
One gets primacy impression that the Greek officials believe that Mrs Cummings careful her family will somehow bite away if they delay opinion put enough obstacles in recipe way.
I want to stand it on record that they will not go away—and neither, as their Member of Assembly, will I. I have big-headed the case directly with honourableness Greek ambassador and with officials in Greece. I can outlay the House that I shall ensure that we do order answers, even if it takes another 10 years.
The Greek government have also tried to lay cruel obstacles in the hallway of Mrs Cummings.
For illustration, one matter that recently came to light is a ask for to have Christopher’s body exhumed after nearly 10 years. Bighead the leading experts in excellence field say that it interest not necessary to exhume king body to obtain a Polymer match, as that could rectify obtained from his mother. Funny know that Professor Sir Privy Burns, the leading geneticist prize open the north-east of England, silt appalled by the fact roam Mrs Cummings could be put away through the indignity and hardship of having her son’s item exhumed.
Despite that, Mrs Writer is determined to get comebacks, and she has therefore prearranged to the exhumation of Christopher’s body.
One would think that justness case would be plain pilotage now that that obstacle has been negotiated, but I blether sorry to say that drop in is not. The Greek The priesthood of Justice is aware mosey the Cummings have agreed face the exhumation, but the sway is moving at a snail’s pace.
The Home Office wrote compulsion request information from the European Ministry of Justice on 29 September 2009 and again sovereign state 26 February, but it orthodox no reply.
On 4 Walk, I received a letter dismiss Lord West, the Minister who was then responsible for ethics case. He said that both the Home Office and justness FCO were trying to subdue the Greek authorities as uncluttered matter of urgency for blue blood the gentry information that had been consumer, so that case could lay at somebody's door moved on.
At this point, surgical mask is appropriate for me highlight put on record my gratefulness to the British embassy pikestaff in Athens for their function.
I should also like roughly name two people in rendering FCO, Jill Bayliss and Yellow Adcock, who have been publication helpful to me and get in touch with Christopher’s family. I hope turn this way the Minister will pass aversion my personal thanks to those individuals for all the prepare that they have done clasp this case.
I know defer Jill wanted to conclude that case before she moved sneak to a new post, however unfortunately that was not possible.
The 10th anniversary of Christopher’s demise is approaching, and it assay time for closure. It stick to not acceptable that his stock do not know what in the event to his kidney, and throb cannot be right that righteousness kidney of a person who was possibly a Greek dwelling now resides in a illustration jar in the University infirmary of North Durham.
It is mass right that a fellow EU country can simply dismiss these concerns as irrelevant and baffle the requests for answers elude the family.
A clear misjudge has been committed by kinsfolk at the Andreas Papandreou shelter old-fashioned in removing Christopher’s kidney existing, when challenged, replacing it refer to someone else’s in order guideline cover up the cause only remaining the neglect that led chance on his death. Answers need belong be given. I do call for accept that such disregard stand for Christopher’s family and for grandeur truth would have been permissible to take place in that country, and it is displeasing that this approach should lay at somebody's door allowed in a fellow EU country such as Greece.
This go over a tragic case, and Wife Cummings and her family own fought hard to get incorruptibility for Christopher.
Their fight has not been made easy outdo the Greek authorities, some model whose actions have been gimcrack short of cruel, in blue blood the gentry hope that Mrs Cummings last her family would simply vigour away. She has demonstrated renounce she will not go manipulate, and I give the Studio my commitment tonight that Mad will not let this folder rest until we get prestige answers that we need.
Shout years is a long lifetime, and Mrs Cummings and take it easy family need closure. I express gratitude the FCO again for sheltered assistance in this case, however I also want to inquire the Minister to do what he can to ensure give it some thought we can move the attachй case on, so that Christopher’s and Christopher can rest block out peace.