13 February 201217 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Supreme Court ruling welcomed by rights organisations

Press Release by: INQUEST
8th February 2012

Hospitals must ensure that they take appropriate steps to prevent voluntary psychiatric patients from taking their own lives, according to a landmark judgment handed down today by the Supreme Court.

The unanimous ruling, which has been welcomed by leading mental health and human rights organisations, held that Pennine Care NHS Trust had a duty under article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights to protect the right to life of Melanie Rabone, and failed in this duty when she took her own life in April 2005.

Paul Farmer, Chief Executive of Mind said:

Today’s judgment recognises that a positive duty is owed towards patients with mental health problems at times when they are most at risk of harm. The law now applies whether or not a patient has been formally detained.

13 February 201217 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Second funeral held for Christopher Alder

all credits: BBC News
published: 9th February 2012

The funeral of a man whose body was discovered 11 years after his family thought they had buried him is understood to have been held. Christopher Alder’s body was discovered in a Hull mortuary in November 2011. South Yorkshire Police is investigating the circumstances that led to another body, thought to be that of Grace Kamara, being buried in his grave at the city’s Northern Cemetery.

The body in Mr Alder’s original grave will be exhumed later this month. The mistake was discovered when the body of Ms Kamara was about to be released from the mortuary for burial last year and Mr Alder’s body was found instead.

10 February 201217 December 2022 4WardEverUK

Police lose immunity plea in Azelle gun death inquiry

originally by: BBC News
published: 9th February 2012

Scotland Yard has lost a court bid for firearms officers to be allowed to give evidence from behind a screen at an inquiry into a fatal police shooting.

Police lawyers had asked the High Court to quash the inquiry chairman’s refusal to allow them to be screened from view. Azelle Rodney, 24, was in a car when an officer fired in Edgeware, north London, in April 2005.

The High Court ruled only the officer who fired the shots could be screened, not the 13 other officers involved. Police said the officers were fearful of potential “revenge attacks”.