Mum of man murdered in Leeds hears minister's law change pledge

Wes Streeting has pledged to try to find a "workable way" to save lives by giving families a say over whether a loved one receives a mental capacity assessment.

- by Charles Brown

The Health Secretary was responding to calls from MPs to change the law in response to concerns raised by bereaved parents, including Fiona Laskaris, whose son was murdered in Leeds in 2016.

The House of Commons heard that Mrs Laskaris, from Surrey, pleaded for help for several years but was never able to obtain the mental capacity assessment required to ensure her son, Christopher, received the support he needed.

Mr Laskaris, 24, was murdered in his flat in Hyde Park in November 2016 by a drug addict who had just been released on licence from a jail sentence.

MPs want the Mental Health Bill to be amended to ensure the views of family members are considered when determining what the requirements are for an adult for a mental capacity assessment.