Grieving mum waits for Government response to campaign for drug law change after gaining widespread support

Kerry Roberts has been urging the Government to introduce a new law, which makes selling drugs to children under 16 a specific criminal offence that carries longer prison sentences.

It comes after her daughter Leah Hayes suffered a cardiac arrest when she took MDMA with a group of friends in a Northallerton car park in 2019 and the teenagers who supplied the Class A drug - Connor Kirkwood and Mitchell Southern - were ordered to serve 21 months and 12 months respectively in young offenders institutions.

She said children cannot consent to taking drugs and the dealers who target them should face more severe punishments.

The Government must now respond to her campaign, as she has set up a petition on its official website which has gained more than 10,000 signatures.

Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, has also promised to make a case for introducing the law in the House of Commons, under the Ten Minute Rule.

Ms Roberts said she was “overwhelmed” when customers at the pub where she works told her the petition had gained 10,000 signatures.

“My main aim is to protect children,” she said.

“When I was in court and during the police investigation into Leah’s death, I kept hearing the word consent.

“But how could Leah consent? She was 15 years old.

“She couldn't consent to buying alcohol or cigarettes or doing the lottery or having sex, but she could consent taking Class A drugs. It doesn’t sit right with me.

She added: “It’s really important to change it (the law) for the future. I have a two year old daughter and I'm hoping by the time she's a teenager, things will change.”

In December, the Government announced its ambitious 10-year drugs strategy, which states £900m will be provided to help police forces tackle county lines drug gangs and deliver 54,500 treatment places for people struggling with addiction.

North Yorkshire Police said it is focused on tackling supply and demand in the region, after the number of drug-related deaths increased from 73 in 2020 to 90 the following year.

The force runs a range of operations to crackdown on dealers, but it also refers users who have been arrested to treatment services and offers specialist support to teenagers who are caught with drugs.