Mum gets truth about son's death after six year battle for justice (From News Shopper)

Mum gets truth about son's death after six year battle for justice

12:17pm Monday 26th March 2012 in News By Robert Fisk

Glennys Jones pictured with her son David

A MOTHER who spent six years fighting to prove her son did not intend to take his own life can now mourn him after finally getting the truth.

Asperger’s syndrome and Crohn’s disease sufferer David Jones was only 23 when he was found dead at his home in Belvedere Road, Crystal Palace, on December 31, 2005.

The original inquest in 2006 handed down an open verdict after incorrectly assuming the high amount of the drug found in Mr Jones’s blood had come from an unknown source.

But his mother Glennys’s determination to prove he did not intentionally overdose on the powerful prescription drug Fentanyl led to a judicial review and the opening of a fresh inquest.

In the days leading up to his death he was complaining of pain and discomfort so was prescribed a cocktail of controlled opiate drugs.

This was carried out by several doctors including those working for three different out of hours services.

Presiding over the second inquest the deputy coroner for south London Selena Lynch said these doctors made: “a series of significant and cumulative prescribing errors.”

She added: “Mr Jones was not given adequate warnings about the dangers of the medication, the way in which it should be used, and the possible side effects and signs of toxicity.”

Miss Lynch recorded a verdict of accidental death at the end of the inquest last Thursday (March 22) and addressing David’s mother Glennys she said: “Your search was for truth and justice and though you may not agree I think you have achieved your objectives in as far as is humanly possible.”

Speaking after the inquest his mother Glennys Jones, of Newbury Road, Bromley, said: “It was quite a battle to get a new inquest but I did it and I can live with myself now.

“At last I feel he has the verdict he should have got the first time.

“I have spent six years going over and over his death and now I can mourn him and celebrate his life.

The 61-year-old added: “I’m extremely grateful to Selena Lynch for carrying out such an extremely thorough investigation into the circumstances of his death.”