Personal injury news

Heroin addict widow loses compensation claim

The distraught wife of a man who died from a heroin overdose after being released from jail too early has lost her two-year compensation claim fight.

Forty-year-old Stephen Waller died in January 2004 following a court blunder that led to him being released from Norwich Prison ten weeks early. His widow, Shirley, insists that the early discharge robbed her late husband of his chance to beat his addiction.

He overdosed and died from severe personal injuries only days after being released from prison and his wife has since been battling to hold someone accountable for his death. Her compensation claim came to an end, however, when authorities insisted that she could not prove his early release caused his death.

A heartbroken Mrs Waller told the media, "I've never had a proper acknowledgement of the causes for Stephen's death.

"I was not looking for money, I just wanted justice. He was getting clean in prison, but he needed more time.

"He should have been in prison until the end of March at least, but they let him out in January, that error caused his death."

Mrs Waller was refused legal aid and now faces massive costs resulting from her failed compensation claim.