Death inquiry

Published 4 Aug 2010 09:30 0 Comments

Share this

By Jennifer Black

A LINWOOD mum has spoken of her heartbreak after losing her husband and three month old baby within days of each other.

Devastated Gillian Wales wept as she told a fatal accident inquiry how her husband Allan suffered a heart attack just two days after the

sudden death of their son Dylan.

Giving evidence at Glasgow Sheriff Court this week Mrs Wales explained that she had just been visiting her son in the chapel of rest at Yorkhill Hospital on March 1, 2009.

Dylan was born prematurely and died on February 27.

Later that day she received a phone call telling her that her husband - who was an inmate in Barlinnie Prison - had suffered a heart attack.

Mrs Wales explained that Allan, 31, had been complaining about chest pains in the weeks before his death and as there was a history of heart problems in his family he asked to see a doctor in January.

Mrs Wales, 29, said: "I kept asking him if he had seen the doctor but he said 'no, I need to get another referral'.

"Eventually he was seen by the doctor and was told that it was just stress and wasn't given any medication."

She had just been to the chapel when she phoned theprison to ask if Allan would be allowed out to see Dylan and she was told that arrangements would be made.

However that never happened as Mrs Wales later received a phone call telling her that Allan had died.

The inquiry also heard from a nurse Jennifer Stirling who told the inquiry that she was under a lot of pressure due to the high number of inmates.

She saw Allan on January 28 after he completed a request form asking to see a doctor.

Miss Stirling later wrote on his medical notes that he had been complaining of pain around his heart area but yesterday told the inquiry that it was actually around his stomach.

When questioned why this wasn't written in the medical notes she said: "With hindsight I should have noted this but we were full to capacity and I was under a lot of pressure."

Yesterday (Tuesday) nurse John Kane told the inquiry that he found Allan dead in his cell.

Mr Kane, 47, had spoken to Allan earlier that day about his visit to the chapel to see Dylan and claimed that he was "severely upset".

He said: "Allan told me that his son had died on the Friday and he hadn't slept or eaten anything since then.

"He was going out in the afternoon to see his son and his main concern was whether or not he would be strong enough for his wife and get through it."

Mr Kane checked Allan's blood pressure, temperature and breathing but it all seemed fine.

He was later called back to the cell after guards put out an emergency "code blue" call.

The inquiry, before Sheriff John Baird, continues.

This article appeared in The Gazette 04 Aug 10

Follow @thegazettepaper

Return to the main index, get more from this section or browse our News archives.