A WOMAN from Chester-le-Street has made a heartfelt plea to Greek judges at the trial of five medics charged with the manslaughter of her son by negligence.

Pam Cummings addressed the court on the island of Rhodes at the start of the trial of three doctors and two nurses who allegedly left 24-year-old Christopher Rochester to die after he fell 40ft from a hotel balcony in Faliraki on the holiday island three years ago.

The trial is the result of a long campaign for justice by Christopher's family. They have made two previous trips to the island, only for the criminal proceedings to be adjourned at the defendant's request.

The first hearing was unable to proceed as one of the doctors and a nurse failed to attend. Then the case was re-listed when one of their lawyers was unavailable.

A dozen members of Christopher's family flew to Rhodes last weekend. Christopher's DJ brother Keith, with whom he was on holiday, was listed to give evidence at the hearing. Travel expenses have had to be met by the family, who have held fundraising events.

Mrs Cummings took the opportunity under Greek law to tell the judges about the family's loss. But she then suffered an intense 45-minute cross-examination by the defence lawyers.

Speaking through a translator she told the three presiding judges: "I am standing here today, not for the first time, not for the second time but for the third time, to see justice done for the death of my son.

"I believe, after Chris's accident, that if he had been given the emergency care and attention he was entitled to he would still be alive today. My fight is not with the island of Rhodes, or the Greek people, but with those five people charged with the death of my son through negligence. I am here today to see justice carried out.

"Apart from the torment of dealing with Chris's death we have also had to endure the horrendous process of getting this case to court."

An inquest in Britain recorded a verdict of accidental death contributed to by neglect. In recording his verdict, North Durham Coroner Andrew Tweddle said he had great concern about the standards of medical care in Rhodes.

A separate investigation is taking place into why Christopher's body was returned home with a kidney removed -and why when pressed, the Greek authorities sent a kidney from Rhodes which DNA tests proved was not Christopher's.

The family was joined at Rhodes Town Court by MP Kevan Jones who said: "There's clear evidence that not only did Christopher die an unnecessary death, there was an attempt afterwards to cover up the reasons."

Wednesday's hearing was almost derailed again when a court clerk refused to work longer than his seven-and-a-half hour shift. He exercised his rights when the judges said they would come to a decision that evening, no matter how late the session went on.

A defence lawyer then asked for the hearing to be adjourned until Monday but was overruled by the judges, who ordered that another clerk be found. The hearing was due to restart as The Advertiser went to press.

Before the trial began Mrs Cummings said regardless of the outcome, she expects the process to continue. "If they're convicted there's an automatic right to appeal and if they get off, then we have an automatic right to appeal, so it could drag on another year or more."