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Alcohol killed mother Sally Clark Alcohol killed mother Sally Clark
(31 minutes later)
An inquest into the death of a mother wrongly convicted of killing her two children ruled she died accidentally of acute alcohol intoxication.An inquest into the death of a mother wrongly convicted of killing her two children ruled she died accidentally of acute alcohol intoxication.
Solicitor Sally Clark, 42, of Hatfield Peverel, near Witham, Essex, was found dead at her home in March.Solicitor Sally Clark, 42, of Hatfield Peverel, near Witham, Essex, was found dead at her home in March.
Mrs Clark was cleared of murdering her two sons, Christopher and Harry, who died in 1996 and 1998.Mrs Clark was cleared of murdering her two sons, Christopher and Harry, who died in 1996 and 1998.
Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said there was no evidence Mrs Clark intended to commit suicide.Essex coroner Caroline Beasley-Murray said there was no evidence Mrs Clark intended to commit suicide.
Mrs Clark was found guilty of murdering eight-week-old Harry and 11-week-old Christopher in 1999 while she was living in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
'Miscarriage of justice''Miscarriage of justice'
Mrs Clark was found guilty of murdering eight-week-old Harry and 11-week-old Christopher in 1999 while she was living in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
She spent three years in jail for murder, before she was cleared by the Court of Appeal in January 2003.She spent three years in jail for murder, before she was cleared by the Court of Appeal in January 2003.
In a statement following Mrs Clark's death her family said she "never fully recovered from the effects of this appalling miscarriage of justice".In a statement following Mrs Clark's death her family said she "never fully recovered from the effects of this appalling miscarriage of justice".
During her trial, the court was told her children died within 14 months of each other and jurors had to decide whether their deaths were natural. Coroner's officer John Pheby told the inquest Mrs Clark had been found in bed, apparently not breathing.
The expert evidence of paediatrician Professor Sir Roy Meadow was a focal point throughout the trial and appeal. Paramedics were called and confirmed that she was dead.
He told jurors the probability of two natural unexplained cot deaths in one family was 73m-to-one. Post-mortem tests showed she had a concentration of alcohol in her blood which would have made her five times over the drink drive limit.
The figure was disputed by the Royal Statistical Society and other medical experts who said the odds of a second cot death in a family were around 200-to-one. 'Happy memories'
Mr Pheby said Mrs Clark had undergone various assessments, eventually being diagnosed with a number of serious psychiatric problems.
He said: "These problems included enduring personality change after catastrophic experience, protracted grief reaction and alcohol dependency syndrome."
A family spokesman said after the hearing: "Sally was unable to come to terms with the false accusations, based on flawed medical evidence and the failures of the legal system, which debased everything she had been brought up to believe in and which she herself practised.
"The hope is that some good may come out of the tragedy of her untimely death and that a sense of balance will be restored which will not only protect infants but also their innocent parents."
Mrs Beasley-Murray concluded the inquest saying: "There has clearly been a most tragic history leading up to Mrs Clark's sad death.
"The court's hope is that Mr Clark and the family will be able to treasure all the happy memories they have of Mrs Clark."