A devastated mother’s campaign to stop drugs from being given to under 16’s goes to Parliament today.

Kerry Robert’s 15-year-old daughter Leah Heyes died after taking two ecstasy tablets. Heartbroken Kerry, from Northallerton, launched a campaign to try and make sure no other family suffers the same devastating loss as hers.

She launched a petition to take Leah’s Law which would make it an automatic offence to give or sell drugs to under 16’s to Parliament with the backing of Thirsk and Malton MP Kevin Hollinrake. It will be debated as a Ten Minute Rule Bill in the Commons, to try and create enough backing to take it further.

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Desperate attempts were made to save Leah after she collapsed in the Applegarth car park in Northallerton in May 2019, but she died within hours of taking the drug. Two teenagers who sold the drugs were later jailed for 21 months and 12 months, serving six months each.

The Northern Echo: Leah's mum Kerry is determined to stop drugs being given and sold to young people Leah's mum Kerry is determined to stop drugs being given and sold to young people

The Home Office did not take up the petition to change the law. A spokesperson said "as existing offences already apply for drug supply, we have no plans to make it a specific offence to supply a child with drugs".

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Kerry said she is determined to take it further and is grateful to the MP for taking it to Parliament. She added: “To get it raised in Parliament is an important development. For Leah’s story to be told in the Commons is huge. I just can’t bear the thought of another parent going through what we have been through. Law and education that is what we need, to stop young people dying. We need to do everything we can to stop this. I just can’t stand by, Leah was just a teenager like any other, she didn’t realise what could happen.”

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