Sally Clark

Sally Clark 1964-2007





 
 
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




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