Latest news with #HudgellSolicitors
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
David Amess's widow claims ‘cover-up' over Prevent failures
The widow of murdered MP Sir David Amess has accused the Government of a 'cover-up' following a review into the Prevent programme's handling of the case. In a letter to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, Lady Julia Amess described the review as an 'insult to Sir David's memory' and said that questions about the case can only be answered 'by way of a public inquiry'. The Amess family instructed lawyers to scrutinise Independent Prevent Commissioner Lord Anderson KC's report, with lawyers criticising how 'too much investigation ... has been conducted behind closed doors'. Hudgell Solicitors said 'too many doors have been closed when challenging questions have been raised' – highlighting that only one counter-terrorism case officer with first-hand experience of killer Ali Harbi Ali's Prevent referral was spoken to as part of the review. Ali was referred to Prevent seven years before the Islamic State fanatic stabbed the veteran MP at his constituency surgery in Essex in October 2021. He was sentenced to a whole-life order the following year. Lord Anderson's report said 'intensive' efforts have been made to improve processes within Prevent, but the 'jury is out' on some of the changes. It also said Ali was described as a ' great person ' by a counter-terrorism case officer shortly before his case was dropped by Prevent. Ms Cooper previously wrote to the Amess family, in which she said she realised the 'seriousness' of the failings in Sir David's case and that she hoped the family found Lord Anderson's report to be 'thorough and considered'. But in her letter to Ms Cooper, Lady Amess said: 'I have to say that, once again, my family has been disrespected and insulted by the Government. 'Your letter implies that you have our best interests at heart – which could not be further from the truth.' 'Whole sorry saga is a cover-up' Lady Amess continued: 'As you and the Prime Minister requested, we met with Lord Anderson during the review process. From my point of view, it was a very pleasant meeting with a man who was given a job to do and would do it to the best of his ability. 'However, it was absolutely clear to me at the time that he would be unable to give the answers we are seeking. 'He did not have the authority to 'dig below the surface' and find out exactly what happened, who is responsible for the failings (it appears there are several unidentified people) and what will be done to somehow ease the pain and suffering we are still experiencing because the truth is not being told. 'One can only conclude that this whole sorry saga is a cover-up.' She added: 'We should have been taken under the wing of the Government, cared for sympathetically and shown a little compassion. Instead, we have been treated disgracefully. 'It is an insult to Sir David's memory and, as I said during our meeting, I will fight until my dying day for my husband, our children and their children.' 'Deeply unsatisfactory' Solicitor Neil Hudgell said answers to the Amess family's questions regarding Ali's referral to Prevent 'remain deeply unsatisfactory'. He said: 'Far too much investigation into Sir David's murder and the interactions between Prevent and Ali Harbi Ali has been conducted behind closed doors, and too many doors have been closed when challenging questions have been raised in search of accountability and transparency. 'Lord Anderson did not interview any other member of the Prevent panel, which dealt with the Ali case, other than the one counter-terrorism case officer, who only consented to being interviewed on strict conditions. 'Even the coroner declined to engage with Lord Anderson, citing judicial independence. 'Answers to important questions with regard to his referral, the lack of proper intervention, follow-up sessions and review remain deeply unsatisfactory.' He added: 'A statutory public inquiry is needed as only this forum can compel witnesses to appear and give evidence under oath, and be questioned as to what was known, and why decisions were made.'
ITV News
23-07-2025
- Health
- ITV News
Castle Hill Hospital faces legal action over seven TAVI heart operation deaths
Seven families are taking legal action against a hospital over the deaths of loved ones after routine heart operations. Humberside Police said last month it was investigating a number of deaths linked to transcatheter aortic valve implantations (TAVIs), at Castle Hill Hospital in Cottingham, East Yorkshire. Solicitors say the families all experienced surgery "not being fully explained" and "a lack of transparency" from Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. The families say they only learned of wider concerns about the procedures following media reports. Stuart Fields' mother Barbara, 76, suffered a stroke after having a TAVI and died three days later. He said doctors claimed the operation had been a "success because they believe it went well". He added: "The fact my mother had a stroke 10 minutes after waking up, and died three days later, seems irrelevant to them. They are in denial. "Their narrative completely changed from before the procedure to what they were saying afterwards. Before we were told it was being done to improve her quality of life and extend her life. "After she'd died their narrative was that she'd have died after six months anyway without the procedure. The attitude has been appalling." Mr Fields said the family had been denied access to statistics on injury and death rates related to TAVI procedures. 'It was only when the recent story broke in the press about the police investigating deaths, and that thedeath rate at one stage being three times higher than the national average, that we knew more than ushad been affected," he said. "We always suspected so.' TAVI is a heart valve treatment designed for people with heart disease who are not considered well enough for major surgery. During the procedure, a catheter with a balloon on the tip is inserted into an artery in either the upper leg or the chest, which is then passed into the heart and positioned near the opening of the aortic value. The balloon is then inflated, creating space for a new tissue value which is put in position and expanded. TAVI puts less strain on the body as the heart does not need to be stopped and placed on bypass but is also recognised to carry a significant risk. Hudgell Solicitors is representing the families involved. The firm said cases being investigated date back to 2019, when TAVI procedures were introduced at the hospital, and involve patients aged 75 to 87. The most recent was August last year, five months after the trust was presented with the findings of a 2023 Royal College of Physicians (RCP) review into 11 deaths following TAVI procedures. The review identified poor levels of care in six cases, one of which was described as "very poor". Solicitor Neil Hudgell said: 'The time has come for full transparency and proper accountability. 'We are now putting the next steps in motion towards achieving that by requesting full medical recordsof the patients whose families have come to us seeking answers around their treatment at Castle HillHospital and their subsequent deaths, and putting the trust on notice of intended legal action. "Over recent weeks we have met and spoken at length with seven families who all tell a similar story ofthe risks and outcomes of surgery not being fully explained to them, and then a lack of transparency andclarity after their loved ones had passed. "They are quite simply furious with the trust and they want answers." The hospital trust has been approached for comment. In a statement last month NHS Humber Health Partnership said families who had lost loved ones following TAVI treatment had been invited to discuss the cases. The Care Quality Commission (CQC), the regional Integrated Care Board (ICB) and the Royal College of Physicians remained "confident" in Castle Hill's service, they said.
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Baby died in Scarborough 'after midwives dismissed concerns'
Midwives "dismissed" the concerns of a mother whose baby died shortly after being born, her lawyers have Parker, 27, told staff at Scarborough General Hospital about her son Sonny's heart rate slowing during labour in November 2022, but said she was "ignored".She said: "I went into hospital with a perfectly healthy baby after a great pregnancy with no issues or concerns, but left without a baby to take home and raise."The York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust apologised to Sonny's family and said it had implemented changes. Medical negligence specialists Hudgell Solicitors said that soon after arriving at hospital, Ms Parker was told that her baby would need to be induced because he was "on the larger side".It was alleged that medication used to make her womb contract should have been stopped four hours before it was potentially harmful to Sonny, the firm said, because his heart rate was slowing with every to the firm, the Trust admitted the allegation on 5 July and also accepted Sonny's death may have been prevented if a decision to deliver him was made more than 90 minutes before it was. 'Absolutely devastating' In a statement issued by the solicitors, Ms Parker said the experience was "heartbreaking"."My mum was with me when I was in labour and she was looking at the heart rate monitor and calling the midwives using the call button as she could see it dropping," she said."We were concerned but every time the midwives would come and say not to worry, and that they were checking it from their station, and so didn't need calling. It made us feel like we were being a nuisance."She said each physical examination became more painful, and she could tell something was wrong after Sonny was delivered because a midwife had tears in her eyes."There was no crying at all and I could hear a lot of activity, but nobody was saying anything," she said."To lose Sonny was absolutely devastating. It sounds an awful thing to say, but if I could go back, I would have taken the option to have had him delivered by Caesarean section, as I don't feel midwives can be trusted." Ms Parker criticised the communication she received by NHS services following the death of her son."About a week after, I received a message from the doctor's surgery congratulating me on the birth of my baby," she said."I just cried when I opened it. When I went for my post-birth check-up, the doctor had no idea Sonny had died."Ms Parker and her partner have now had a baby girl, who was born in said their daughter "really got us through all the difficult days".Medical negligence specialist Samantha Gardner, of Hudgell Solicitors, said the case was "wholly avoidable".She added: "Over the years our lawyers have seen hundreds of apologies to parents who have suffered loss and injury due to maternity negligence, and presently, we're seeing more than ever."In June, a national inquiry was announced into maternity Gardner welcomed the investigation, adding that it "must be driven by the experiences of patients, families and staff". 'Appropriate steps' A spokesperson for the York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust offered "sincere condolences and apologies to Sonny's family".They said they "fully acknowledge how devastating the loss of a child is".A statement added: "The family has since met with our obstetric and paediatric teams."Sonny's case was referred to the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB), and we accepted and acted on the safety recommendations outlined in their report. We have also fully co-operated with the coroner's inquiry."The inquest concluded that there was an opportunity for Sonny to have been delivered earlier, which the spokesperson said was noted by the said: "The coroner was satisfied and reassured that the Trust is taking appropriate steps to implement changes to clinical guidelines and deliver a range of improvements in maternity care." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Daily Mirror
10-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Girl, 5, on Jet2 holiday just millimetres from tragedy at 'death-trap' hotel
Mya Mullin was just five years old when she was left with permanent scars after the 2018 accident in a hotel room on the Jet2 holiday to Gran Canaria A five-year-old girl who was holidaying with her family on the island of Gran Canaria was just millimetres away from tragedy, it has been revealed. Mya Mullin - who is now 12 - is left with permanent scars after the 2018 accident on the Jet2 holiday. Along with her mum and dad, they were enjoying a package holiday at the Hotel Lago Taurito when Mya mistakenly ran into the closed sliding glass door of their apartment terrace. Her father, Neil Mullin, recounted the harrowing moment, saying he "heard the bang" and then saw Mya "still in the door with glass stuck in her, screaming." He said: "Seeing my child stuck there with the glass embedded and then holding her stomach wound together for about 30 minutes until the ambulance arrived, it really affected all of us. It was just neglect. "You book a holiday for your family and you expect a room that is safe for you and your children, but it didn't look like any recent safety checks had been done. I think Jet2 failed their customers." Mya had to be rushed to a hospital in Las Palmas for surgery on her stomach and leg injuries. Mr Mullin said that taking legal action against Jet2 "wasn't about the money", but rather an effort to hold the company accountable for providing accommodation that was "a death trap". Hudgell Solicitors pursued legal action against Jet2 on behalf of Mya Mullin's family from the West Midlands. The solicitors argued that the door did not comply with Spanish safety regulations and accused Jet2 of neglecting its duty of care to the holidaymakers. Jet2 did not accept responsibility, but did opt for an out-of-court settlement, paying "five-figure" compensation, according to the law firm. Anne Thomson, a specialist in travel accidents at Hudgell Solicitors, said: "Package holiday tour operators have a duty of care to their customers no matter where in the world you travel. "They are responsible for ensuring your safety at your accommodation and that the facilities and services provided meet a satisfactory standard so they are safe. In this case we argued that they had failed." A Jet2 spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that we have reached a settlement in relation to an incident which occurred in 2018. The health and safety of our customers is extremely important to us and we would like to reiterate how sorry we are about this incident."
Daily Mirror
09-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
Jet2 forks out five-figure sum after girl, 5, sliced open in hotel horror
Mya Mullin, who was five at the time of the incident, suffered large cuts after she ran through a glass balcony during a family holiday to Spain's Canary Islands Jet2 has forked out a five-figure sum after a five-year-old girl suffered horrifying cuts at a hotel. Hudgell Solicitors said it had taken legal action against Jet2 on behalf of the family of Mya Mullin, from the West Midlands, who suffered large cuts after she ran through a glass balcony door at a Canary Islands hotel. She has been awarded compensation for the 2018 incident. Mya, who was five at the time, was left with permanent scars following the incident on Gran Canaria. Hudgell Solicitors claimed the door failed to meet Spanish safety standards and accused Jet2 of breaching its contractual duty of care to the family. The travel company did not admit liability but agreed to settle the case out of court by making a 'five-figure' compensation payment to 12-year-old Mya, the law firm said. The family were on a package holiday provided by Jet2 at the Hotel Lago Taurito when the incident happened. Mya went to run onto the terrace of their apartment without realising the sliding glass door was closed. Her father, Neil Mullin, said he 'heard the bang' and then saw Mya 'still in the door with glass stuck in her, screaming'. He went on: 'Seeing my child stuck there with the glass embedded and then holding her stomach wound together for about 30 minutes until the ambulance arrived, it really affected all of us. It was just neglect. You book a holiday for your family and you expect a room that is safe for you and your children, but it didn't look like any recent safety checks had been done.' Mr Mullin said taking legal action against Jet2 'wasn't about the money', but was an attempt to get the company to take responsibility for providing accommodation that was 'a death trap'. Mya was taken to a hospital in the capital Las Palmas for surgery to stomach and leg wounds. Anne Thomson, a travel accident expert at Hudgell Solicitors, said: 'Package holiday tour operators have a duty of care to their customers no matter where in the world you travel. 'They are responsible for keeping you safe at your accommodation and the facilities and services supplied should be of a satisfactory standard so that they are also safe. In this case we argued that they had failed.' A spokesperson for Jet2 said: 'We can confirm that we have reached a settlement in relation to an incident which occurred in 2018. The health and safety of our customers is extremely important to us, and we would like to reiterate how sorry we are about this incident.'
