I feel justice has finally been done

Ever since her son's death on Friday March 21 1997, she has fought to find answers to the questions she had about the tragedy in Preston New Road, Blackburn.

In November 1998, she watched as Dr Francis Kwasi Apaloo - the doctor who ordered a non-medically qualified social worker to give her heroin-addicted son Jamie 60mg of methadone, from which he later died - was cleared of manslaughter at Preston Crown Court.

Yesterday, accompanied by her husband David, she sat, often trembling, as the General Medical Council's conduct committee was told in graphic detail how Jamie died just hours after receiving the overdose. He had spent just days in the Blackburn Young Offenders' Home after coming out of a young offenders' institute.

Like all other youngsters in his position, it was a chance to scrub the past and start afresh - that was the reason he was taking the methadone, after starting to dabble with other drugs like diamorphine, Mrs Edmondson said.

At the beginning of this week, Mrs Edmondson, of Prince Avenue, Carnforth, Lancaster, said she would settle for nothing less than seeing Dr Apaloo struck off.

They weren't the words of a vengeful mother, simply a statement of someone wanting justice. And as if to prove the point, after hearing excellent character references about Dr Apaloo and the lack of guidance for doctors when it comes to prescribing methadone, she said today she was 'satisfied' by the GMC's decision to suspend the family GP for three months. In the months leading up to his death, Jamie had been constantly in trouble with the police and was taken to the home in Blackburn after Gillian had told social services officers she couldn't handle him. Before he was taken to the home in Blackburn, the mother and son rowed. Gillian never saw him alive again.

He died after taking two doses of methadone, given to him by Jackie Connelly, the home's manager, on the instruction of Dr Apaloo. Because no chemists were open when the prescription was needed, Dr Apaloo gave his approval for another prescription to be used.

When Mrs Connelly next saw Jamie, he was unconscious. She called an ambulance but he was dead by the time he arrived at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

Today, Gillian added: "He wasn't a bad lad, he was my son and it would be very easy to dwell on the past and wish things had been different. But we must now look to the future. I feel justice has been done and I will continue to hold that belief for as long as I think action has been taken to make sure this tragedy isn't repeated.

"I feel as though my life has been on hold for the last four years. I have always had questions and always wished things hadn't gone as they had but there is no point looking back.

"Myself and my husband now have to look to the future and get on with caring for our four other children."

Gillian first saw Dr Apaloo when he stood trial at Preston Crown Court. After he was found not guilty of manslaughter, she expressed her anger at the lack of justice.

Now, although he was cleared of failing to see a patient, she seems happier. She concluded: "I have finally seen action being taken. I hope now the lessons will be carried right through.

"No one could ever appreciate what my family has been through. My son suddenly wasn't there any more. No one, and I mean no one, should ever have to go through that," she added.