Nicholas Lumley QC and Chloe Fairley prosecuted the mother, grandmother and sister of a teenage boy who it was said was allowed to starve and “rot to death” in his own home. The mother and grandmother had admitted being responsible for his care but had failed to call medical assistance when his physical condition deteriorated. His sister was a member of the same household. Health care professionals had described pressure sores and a degree of emaciation of “the worst kind they had ever seen”, which included visible bone where his flesh had rotted away. In addition the decomposed remains of a baby were found in a rucksack in the family home. The case received widespread national news coverage (see below) The case was complicated by issues in relation to capacity and consent to treatment as well as issues in relation to scope of duty. The mother and grandmother were convicted of manslaughter (by gross negligence) and the sister of neglect. The mother had also pleaded guilty in relation to the remains of the baby.
Jason Pitter QC represented the grandmother (leading Ian Cook of David Ake’s Solicitors, Leeds).
Media coverage of the case can be found here:
Nicholas Lumley KC
Call 1992
QC 2012
Jason Pitter KC
Call 1994
QC 2014
Chloe Fairley
Call 2004
18th Jul 2018
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