Solicitor wrongly convicted of killing her two children died FIVE times over the limit

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Solicitor Sally Clark, who was freed after being wrongly convicted of killing two of her children, was the equivalent of five times over the drink-drive limit when found dead, an inquest heard yesterday.

Coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said there was no evidence that Mrs Clark, of Hatfield Peverel, Essex, intended to commit suicide. She ruled that the 42-year-old died of an accidental alcohol overdose.

Mrs Clark was found dead in bed by her cleaner in March, the Chelmsford inquest heard. The alcohol in her system would have made her five times the drink drive limit - 428mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

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Sally Clarke and husband Steve pictured after being cleared by the Court of Appeal in 2003

Home Office pathologist Dr David Rouse concluded she died as a result of acute alcohol intoxication.

Coroner's officer John Pheby told the hearing that Mrs Clark had attempted to rebuild her life after being released from prison in 2003.

"According to her family, this was not an easy time for her and she underwent various assessments, eventually being diagnosed with serious psychiatric problems," he said.

"These included enduring personality change after catastrophic experience, protracted grief reaction and alcohol dependency syndrome. With the support of her husband, Stephen, and family, she attended various hospitals and clinics in an attempt to overcome this problem."

A family spokesman said after the hearing: "Sally was unable to come to terms with the false accusations, based on flawed medical evidence and the failures of the legal system."

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Sally Clark with husband Steve and baby Christopher in 1996

"The hope is that some good may come out of the tragedy of her untimely death and that a sense of balance will be restored which will not only protect infants but also their innocent parents.

"The family would like to thank the thousands of people whose confidence in Sally never wavered, particularly the many lawyers, politicians, doctors and friends who worked and supported her tirelessly, not least those journalists who quickly realised that something had gone terribly wrong."

In 1999, Mrs Clark had been found guilty of murdering her sons, eight-week-old Harry and 11-week-old Christopher, following a trial at Chester Crown Court in 1999.

Professor Roy Meadow's evidence in the case against Sally Clark was later ruled unsafe

She served more than three years in prison before being cleared by the Court of Appeal in 2003.

Sally Clark was convicted of killing her two sons after Professor Sir Roy Meadow told the court there was a "one in 73 million" chance that two children in the same family would die of cot death. His evidence was later ruled unsafe at the Court of Appeal trial.

Mrs Clark's family left no doubt that they felt Professor Sir Roy Meadow, the discredited paediatrician whose flawed evidence led to her conviction, shared part of the blame for her early death.

Professor Meadow claimed the odds against two cot deaths happening in the same family were 73 million to one, whereas the true figure is around 200-1.

A family spokesman said after the hearing: "All Sally's family and friends knew her as a loving and devoted mother, wife and daughter, a view also shared by all the professionals who cared for her and her children.

Coroner Mrs Beasley-Murray said there was no evidence to suggest Mrs Clark had formed any intention to take her life.

She concluded that she had died as a result of an accident and added: "There has clearly been a most tragic history leading up to Mrs Clark's sad death."

She went on: "The court's hope is that Mr Clark and the family will be able to treasure all the happy memories they have of Mrs Clark."

 

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