Sally Clark
Steve Clark's tribunal statement, 16.5.01
I am Stephen Clark, a solicitor and the husband of Sally Clark.
Although I know that we cannot argue in front of the Tribunal that
Sally has been the victim of a miscarriage of justice, the panel needs
to know that Sally is innocent. We suffered two terrible bereavements
when our babies died. Sally did not do anything to harm them- she
loved them more than anyone can ever know.
I say that, not as some besotted, lovelorn fool, who is her husband
and the father of our surviving son, now two and a half years' old,
but as someone who is a Cambridge law graduate, who qualified as a
solicitor in 1987 and who has been a partner in a top 20 law firm
since 1993.
If, for one moment, I thought that Sally had done anything to hurt my
two little boys, I would not- and could not- have supported her
throughout this terrible ordeal, at great personal, financial and
professional cost to me.
That is not just my view- the panel will have read the statements made
by several experienced Health Professionals who dealt with Sally on a
regular basis, by our Nanny (who lived in our home and observed us as
parents on a daily basis and who feels so strongly that she has
volunteered to help me bring up our surviving child), by lawyers who
were work colleagues and by friends who lived close-by. They paint a
picture of a happy, caring, loving mother, who was also an extremely
good solicitor before tragedy struck our family.
Many of our friends have promised to be present at the Tribunal. Most
of them are lawyers and, together, they know Sally better than
anyone. I would like to thank them for taking valuable time off from
work to demonstrate their support for Sally.
Most relevant for this Tribunal, however, is Sally's passionate desire
to be a solicitor. If the panel only knew what Sally gave up and how
hard she worked for those two years to pass the old Part II
Examinations, then they would realise how much the qualification as a
solicitor means to her.
Several large City law firms fell over themselves to offer her a
Training contract, and to sponsor her through Law College. A partner
from one of them has provided a powerful Testimonial.
Having been trained at a major City firm, I believe that she became
the best corporate finance lawyer of her qualification in Manchester,
and a credit to the profession. Her partner in Manchester has made a
Statement which supports that view.
The Tribunal must not doubt my- or our friends' and supporters'-
absolute determination to right this terrible wrong. We will not rest
until Sally is free, and back where she belongs - with me and our
little boy, who is at a stage now when he really needs his Mum.
Fortunately, we are supported in this by a large number of
doctors, lawyers, MPs and thoughtful journalists. All of whom are
giving their time without charge.
I should also mention family, friends and hundreds of ordinary
members of the public who have written to us. As a result of that
correspondence, we now know of nearly 40 families who have also
suffered the agony of losing two (or more) babies.
My wife has already lost so much. She has suffered eighteen months of
Hell in prison, deprived of the opportunities and joys of bringing up
our son for the first two and a half years of his life. She has not
been able to practice as a solicitor.
I would ask the Tribunal to exercise its discretion to allow her to
retain membership of the profession she holds so dear.
Steve Clark 16.5.01