Grieving mum in legal aid appeal
The mum of a tragic schoolboy who was crushed by a gravestone is appealing a decision to reject her bid for legal aid.
Lawyers for Stephanie Griffin are making a fresh application for funds to represent her during the fatal accident inquiry into eight- year- old Ciaran Williamson’s death.
He was crushed by a loose headstone in Craigton cemeter y in Glasgow’s Cardonald in May last year.
His dad Ryan has had two bids for legal aid rejected.
The family are concerned their questions will never be answered if they do not have legal representation.
Mark Gibson, of Digby Brown solicitors, is handling the appeal. He said: “We disagree with the Legal Aid Board’s position that it’s the role of the procurator fiscal to represent the individual interests of members of Ciaran’s family.
“The family’s view of what is pertinent and proper to bring out at the inquiry may diverge from that of the Crown.
“The city council, on the other hand, are represented by a QC, an advocate and a team of solicitors from their in-house legal department.”
The Scottish Legal Aid Board said: “It wasn’t shown in the application that the applicant’s solicitor would be making different lines of inquiry to those of the procurator fiscal.”
A preliminary hearing ahead of the FAI was held at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Friday.