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Sally Clark
Case history written in January 2000 by Sally's father, Frank Lockyer 
What now?I'm afraid I cannot do justice to this unbelievable story in less than 2,000 words. "Unbelievable," as before this experience had anyone told me this story I would not have believed it. As her father my belief in her innocence is open to the jibe ". . . well, he would, wouldn't he?" I take comfort from the fact that everyone who knows Sally, who saw her preparing for her babies, and saw her joy at their birth and her grief at their deaths, shares my belief in her innocence. They were my grandchildren and there is no way I could condone abuse. I never underestimated the prejudice of the Crown Prosecution Department's tactics in charging two deaths to be heard together. I did underestimate the credulity given to the bogus statistics and cosmetic trimmings, as against the weight of the evidence that there was not a mark or "mechanical " injury to either child nor a cause of death. But I am biased of course - you must make up your own minds.Yes, following the death of Christopher, Sally did have a breakdown leading to depression when one of her escape routes was occasional binge drinking. Nothing of the scale made of it in the newspapers and in no way did she drink whilst nursing her babies - as accepted by the judge in excluding all reference during the trial. I'm afraid it has become a feature of big trials, particularly where conviction is unexpected or appeal likely, that someone puts the boot in to influence public opinion. No, lest you wonder, there is no question of infanticide. Sally is clear that she will not pretend she murdered her babies just to escape on probation. Yes, we now have our third baby, further evidence if it is needed that she wanted children. After initial worries with immunity deficiency which may or may not be relevant, he thrives - but he needs his mother as a family. My priority now is to further an appeal [See next page.] and have Sally released. Then to campaign that the autopsies for baby deaths should be done by a paediatric pathologist. Too many mistakes are being made and parents wrongly put under suspicion. Our postbag bears witness to that and also confirms that the incidence of two baby deaths in one family ridicules the statistics of Professor Meadow as wholly fallacious which, repeated as it was in every media report, was so prejudicial not just for Sally but also for future mothers. If you have knowledge of infant cot deaths, or of two infant deaths in one family (cot or otherwise) then please write to me, Frank Lockyer, 2 The Meadows, Milford, Salisbury, Wilts. SP1 2SS or to the Portia Campaign. Finally. such does this country regard its "sacred cow" the jury system, that it is not easy to launch an appeal. It cannot just be said that the jury got it wrong - there has to be new evidence of perverse procedure. So please retain this summary for future reference as, should the pending appeal not be successful, we may need to enlist your help in a campaign. |
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Site last modified Wed Oct 12 09:58:06 BST 2011
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