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Mother to hold 'justice rally' for Sean Paul Carnahan

Sean Paul Carnahan Tracy has organised a rally to highlight his case. Picture by Mal McCann
Sean Paul Carnahan Tracy has organised a rally to highlight his case. Picture by Mal McCann Sean Paul Carnahan Tracy has organised a rally to highlight his case. Picture by Mal McCann

THE family of a west Belfast man who died in disputed circumstances in hospital after trying to take his own life has organised a rally to highlight his case.

Sean Paul Carnahan (22) died at Belfast City Hospital in July 2013 while being treated for a brain injury sustained during an attempt to take his own life after taking legal highs four months earlier.

Since then his family has been campaigning to establish the circumstances of his death.

It emerged last night that Yvette Greenway, whose partner is well known British QC, Michael Mansfield, will address the rally at Belfast city hall on March 11.

Ms Greenway and Mr Mansfield are co-founders of the SOS Silence of Suicide charity and heard about Sean Paul's case during a meeting of the group in Belfast last year.

Mr Carnahan's grieving mother Tracy believes he died as a result of starvation at Belfast City Hospital where he was treated.

However, a coroner has ruled that Sean Paul "died as a result of an extremely severe brain injury which resulted in recurrent and severe sepsis". The coroner added that "he did not die from malnutrition or starvation and he died despite the intensive, dedicated and skilled efforts of doctors, nurses and dietitians".

The coroner also said he was "unable to accept" the conclusion of a doctor he instructed who said that "many of the professionals involved appear to have tried their utmost to feed Sean Paul as best they could but that his overall nutritional care was substandard and inadequate".

The PSNI also confirmed it did not intend to pursue any prosecutions in relation to the case.

Mr Carnahan's family do not accept the inquest findings and have vowed to carry on their campaign.

"(This) case needs to be looked at again from the beginning," Ms Carnahan said.

"How did Sean Paul lose seven stone and die at five stone? There has to be someone held accountable for Sean Paul’s death."

Ms Greenway has called for people to support the upcoming rally.

"Please support our rally in Sean Paul’s memory," she said.

More than 5,000 people have listened to a podcast about her son posted online by Ms Carnahan last week.