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Alcohol killed wrongly-convicted mum

Updated on 07 November 2007

Source ITN

Sally Clark, the mother wrongly-convicted of killing her two sons, died as a result of acute alcohol intoxication, a coroner has ruled.

Mrs Clark, 42, of Hatfield Peverel, Essex, was jailed over the deaths of her sons, Christopher and Harry in 1996 and 1998. She was released in January 2003 after being cleared on appeal.

The solicitor was found dead at her home last March. A few days later, Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray opened an inquest in Chelmsford and was told pathologists thought Mrs Clark had died of natural causes.

Ms Beasley-Murray said on Wednesday that there was no evidence that Mrs Clark intended to commit suicide.

Coroner's officer John Pheby told the inquest Mrs Clark had been found in bed, apparently not breathing, by her cleaner on March 16 and paramedics were called who confirmed that Mrs Clark was dead.

Post mortem tests showed she had a concentration of alcohol in her blood which would have made her five times the drink drive limit - 428mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood.

Home Office pathologist Dr David Rouse concluded that Mrs Clark had died as a result of acute alcohol intoxication after carrying out tests at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford.

Mr Pheby told the hearing that Mrs Clark had attempted to rebuild her life after being released from prison.

He said: "According to her family, this was not an easy time for her and she underwent various assessments - eventually being diagnosed with a number of serious psychiatric problems.

"These problems included enduring personality change after catastrophic experience, protracted grief reaction and alcohol dependency syndrome.

"With the complete support of her husband, Stephen, and family, she attended various hospitals and clinics in an attempt to overcome this problem."

© Independent Television News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

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