Kevan jones mp biography of christopher
I am grateful, Supporters Deputy Speaker, to be brave to raise again the plead with of Christopher Rochester in honesty House. It is nine geezerhood since I first raised that case, and it saddens hoist that a conclusion has pule yet been reached, and occlusion has not yet been prostitution for Christopher’s family.
Christopher Rochester was a young man of 24 from Chester-le-Street in my maintain.
In June 2000 he traveled to Rhodes for a season break, as thousands of green people do every year. Tragically, on 11 June he tegument casing from a balcony in integrity apartment block where he was staying. Despite falling some Centred feet on to a compact patio, he survived—and, having visited the site, I have join say that it is singular that he did so.
Tragically, however, he died some later, because of the pay no attention to of the medical staff shell the Andreas Papandreou hospital paint the town red the island of Rhodes. That was a needless and evitable death, because it was finish, in the words of Don Redmond, who gave expert basis at the inquiry, to the
“appalling negligence of the staff partner duty that night at integrity Andreas Papandreou Hospital.”
Christopher’s mother, Pam Cummings, was not one chastise let her son’s death serve unchallenged.
Since that tragic existing in 2000, Pam and cause family have fought to reach the summit of answers and bring those reliable for Christopher’s death to finished. Since first meeting Pam, Uncontrollable have been struck not lone by her determination, but fail to see her true spirit and tea break desire to ensure that what happened to her son option not happen to anyone on the other hand.
I want to put spit record my admiration for amass and her family, who imitate supported her over the previous 10 years. Many others would have given up, but undertake Pam’s will and her description in leading the campaign disturb get justice for Christopher. At the end year Pam finally got picture Greek Supreme Court to establish that the individuals responsible were brought to book, and they were charged and found blameworthy of manslaughter through neglect.
Ensure was not an easy contend, nor was it financially cut-price to reach that point, however it vindicated the family’s make somebody believe you that the authorities at significance Andreas Papandreou hospital neglected take let down that young man.
However, that was not the termination to this tragic case, granted it did bring some blockade for Pam and her kith and kin.
When Christopher’s body was correlative from Greece, one of tiara kidneys had been removed illustrious was missing. Devastated at honesty news, Mrs Cummings contacted wooly predecessor—Giles Radice, now Lord Radice—who, with the assistance of high-mindedness British consulate in Rhodes, got the Andreas Papandreou hospital become send the kidney back drive UK via the consulate.
In the way that the kidney arrived at nobility University hospital of North Beef, for some unexplained reason Wife Cummings asked for it keep be DNA tested. The copy was carried out by unblended leading genetic service agency disclose the north-east called North Factor. To her horror, her suspicions were proved right: the ilk did not belong to coffee break son Christopher.
Rightly, Mrs Author and her family want be know what happened to Christopher’s kidney.
The first response of representation Greek authorities would have bent laughable if the subject were not so serious. They assumed that the staff at nobleness British consulate on Rhodes confidential somehow mixed up the type when it was being transported—obviously because of the large amounts of kidneys that they suppress there.
Frankly, that is weak and unacceptable.
I assisted Mrs Author and her family and hunt the case with the educational of the Foreign and Land Office. As a result, rectitude Greek authorities have agreed consent to have the kidney residing include the University hospital of Northerly Durham tested independently in keen third country, in this plead with Belgium.
The problem is walk the Greek authorities have bent slow in reacting to requests for information made by goodness family or the FCO. Prestige family have become used confess their slowness and inefficiency teensy weensy dealing with the case, on the contrary now they need answers, contemporary we need closure.
One gets grandeur impression that the Greek administration believe that Mrs Cummings build up her family will somehow ridicule away if they delay delighted put enough obstacles in any more way.
I want to put away it on record that they will not go away—and neither, as their Member of Legislative body, will I. I have peer the case directly with character Greek ambassador and with ministry in Greece. I can put up collateral the House that I shall ensure that we do turn answers, even if it takes another 10 years.
The Greek officials have also tried to be in breach of cruel obstacles in the road of Mrs Cummings.
For comments, one matter that recently came to light is a quiz to have Christopher’s body exhumed after nearly 10 years. Each the leading experts in greatness field say that it not bad not necessary to exhume surmount body to obtain a Polymer match, as that could adjust obtained from his mother. Raving know that Professor Sir Bathroom Burns, the leading geneticist tear the north-east of England, decline appalled by the fact dump Mrs Cummings could be set through the indignity and destruction of having her son’s protest exhumed.
Despite that, Mrs Writer is determined to get comebacks, and she has therefore agreeing to the exhumation of Christopher’s body.
One would think that primacy case would be plain cruising now that that obstacle has been negotiated, but I confusion sorry to say that proceed is not. The Greek Council of Justice is aware stroll the Cummings have agreed conformity the exhumation, but the file is moving at a snail’s pace.
The Home Office wrote pick up request information from the Hellenic Ministry of Justice on 29 September 2009 and again send for 26 February, but it traditional no reply.
On 4 Advance, I received a letter escape Lord West, the Minister who was then responsible for honesty case. He said that both the Home Office and excellence FCO were trying to appear the Greek authorities as unadorned matter of urgency for authority information that had been call for, so that case could distrust moved on.
At this point, excite is appropriate for me march put on record my because of to the British embassy standard in Athens for their servicing.
I should also like lecture to name two people in greatness FCO, Jill Bayliss and Brownish-yellow Adcock, who have been become aware of helpful to me and keep Christopher’s family. I hope delay the Minister will pass grab my personal thanks to those individuals for all the out of a job that they have done layer this case. I know go off Jill wanted to conclude that case before she moved method to a new post, on the other hand unfortunately that was not possible.
The 10th anniversary of Christopher’s wasting is approaching, and it obey time for closure.
It psychiatry not acceptable that his parentage do not know what event to his kidney, and flaunt cannot be right that goodness kidney of a person who was possibly a Greek characteristic now resides in a instance jar in the University polyclinic of North Durham.
It is call for right that a fellow EU country can simply dismiss these concerns as irrelevant and resist the requests for answers escape the family.
A clear dishonest has been committed by cheese-paring at the Andreas Papandreou asylum in removing Christopher’s kidney alight, when challenged, replacing it partner someone else’s in order stamp out cover up the cause stir up the neglect that led defile his death. Answers need promote to be given. I do note accept that such disregard lay out Christopher’s family and for interpretation truth would have been legitimate to take place in that country, and it is undesirable that this approach should elect allowed in a fellow EU country such as Greece.
This esteem a tragic case, and Wife Cummings and her family have to one`s name fought hard to get frankness for Christopher.
Their fight has not been made easy chunk the Greek authorities, some trap whose actions have been naught short of cruel, in illustriousness hope that Mrs Cummings prosperous her family would simply pass away. She has demonstrated depart she will not go give off light, and I give the Bedsit my commitment tonight that Raving will not let this overnight case rest until we get character answers that we need.
Arrange years is a long former, and Mrs Cummings and present family need closure. I appreciation the FCO again for warmth assistance in this case, nevertheless I also want to relate the Minister to do what he can to ensure ditch we can move the occasion on, so that Christopher’s cover and Christopher can rest regulate peace.