Family will fight to win justice for tragic son

Feb 16 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

A FAMILY has begun legal action after a young man was severely disabled when hit by a car driven by a priest while on holiday in Rome.

Keen sportsman James Kennedy was in a coma for 10 months after the accident in 2006 while away with university friends.

The 32-year-old, of Jesmond, Newcastle, suffered devastating brain injuries which left him unable to move or speak and he now receives round-the-clock care from charity Leonard Cheshire Disability.

His mother Elaine Kennedy-Lee has now instructed a legal team specialising in international law to help with their compensation claim.

It is hoped money awarded will go towards buying the former recruitment consultant a specialist wheelchair and mobility car as well as supporting his continued care when he moves home.

Criminal proceedings were not pursued against the driver by Italian police because he was a British citizen, and British authorities were powerless to intervene. Instead, he was fined.

James, who spent five weeks in Rome’s Santo Spirito Hospital, proposed to girlfriend Louise Liddon on her 27th birthday last year and was able to choose the ring himself.

His mobility is still severely affected but he has regained some speech, thanks to therapy sessions.

The family now hope he will be able to move into a specially-adapted home with his fiancee in Fenham, Newcastle, later this year.

A former pupil of Newcastle’s Royal Grammar School, James, who was a keen rugby and cricket player, used to live with Louise in Tavistock Road, Jesmond.

Talking about their engagement, administrative assistant Louise, 27, said: “It was a little strange at the time – it’s not exactly how I would have planned things, although it was something we had planned before. I knew he was thinking about it before he had his accident, but we were never in any rush to get married.

“It has been really difficult and I didn’t really think I could handle it, honestly. There are not a lot of people my age that go through this and it can be a very isolating experience.

“James is always improving and is always giving us hope for the future. Leonard Cheshire Disability are absolutely excellent and we have been very lucky that James has built up a good rapport with some of the staff.

“We are pretty sure if he had had more physiotherapy before, he would have developed better for the future.” The pair met in Queensland, Australia, while backpacking in 2001. Miss Liddon moved from her native Scotland to the North East soon after returning home.

James’s mother Elaine, 62, of Dunkirk Terrace, Corbridge, Northumberland, said: “She has been amazing. He has received enormous support from his friends and colleagues and they raised a lot of money to help with his care.

“Initially your hope is that he will get better, but as time goes by you realise just how incapacitated he is.

“It would improve his quality of life if we could have a car and when he gets the insurance money then we will. At the moment, we are unable to take him for rides in the countryside.

“We want to buy him a proper chair to sit in, a reclining chair to sit in and a wheelchair to improve his life greatly.”

Page 2: Relatives criticise NHS care