7/7 grieving dad’s inquest outrage

VICTIM . . . David Foulkes

THE father of David Foulkes, the Oldham man who died in the 7/7 terror bombings in London, has condemned plans to hold his son’s inquest at the same time as the bombers.

David (22), a former pupil at Hulme Grammar School for Boys and Oldham Sixth-Form College, died in the Edgeware Road blast in 2005 when suicide bombers blew up three tube trains and a bus.

His father Graham joined other families of the 52 innocent victims who said they were left “absolutely devastated” by the decision to hold their inquests at the same time as those of the bombers.

Mr Foulkes said yesterday’s announcement came as a “real blow” and criticised its “insensitivity”.

He was speaking after Lady Justice Hallett, a Court of Appeal judge, met with families to explain she will hold a pre–inquest hearing early next year.

The full inquests are expected to follow in the autumn.

She told the families she had no choice but to hold the inquests of the four bombers at the same time as those of the victims, Mr Foulkes said.

“I hadn’t anticipated that and it came as a real blow,” he said.

“The temperature dropped in the room. There was just shock and people were very close to tears.”

He said Lady Justice Hallett was keen to stamp her authority on proceedings, but then said her hands were tied when it came to hearing all the inquests together.

“Just the insensitivity of having the murderers and the victims all being dealt with in the same process and the families mixing together, We had a lot of questions for her.”

He added: “It’ll be over five years since the attacks which brings its own pain. But I really do feel let down again.

“We’re the victims but we seem to get the rough end of the stick every time.”

He said the situation was made worse by the fact the victims’ families were told they would not be able to receive legal aid to help pay for representation during the inquest, which he expects to last four or five months.

Mr Foulkes said the scope of the inquests had not yet been established, but called for them to examine the work of the security services in the run–up to the bombings, saying they “clearly got it wrong” after it emerged MI5 had been watching Mohammed Sidique Khan, one of the bombers.