Cancer patient wins claim over prison's 'negligence'

A WOMAN has won her High Court negligence claim over a failure todetect her breast cancer while she was in prison.

Cheryl Carter sued the Ministry of Justice for damages over treatment she received in Cookham Wood prison in Kent in 2005.

She claimed that on three occasions – in March, April and May – she consulted a medical officer about a lump in her right breast and did not get a response consistent with the exercise of all reasonable care and skill. If she had, said counsel Paula Sparks, 34-year-old Ms Carter, of Brixton, south-west London, would have been referred for specialist treatment and had a better prognosis when she was eventually referred by her GP in November that year, after release.

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The Ministry of Justice, which denied liability, said all reasonable care was used and there was no breach of duty.

Judge Sir Christopher Holland ruled in favour of Ms Carter. The amount of the award will be decided later.