Inquiry call to Lord Advocate
19 Jan 05
Lawyer threatens Lord Advocate with legal action over hepatitis C patients
A lawyer is threatening to take action to force a judicial review over the deaths of four patients from hepatitis C contracted through contaminated blood transfusions.
Frank Maguire, a solicitor advocate with Thompsons, has given the Lord Advocate Colin Boyd 10 days to agree to hold a judicial inquiry into the controversy before he takes legal action.
It is thought that more than 500 Scottish NHS patients were infected with the killer disease in the 1970s and 1980s and campaigners are lobbying for a public inquiry.
Maguire claims that the "astonishing" delay over a decision to hold the inquiry is a violation of his clients' human rights. He believes the state has a duty to hold an inquiry where someone has suffered harm under its care.