Inquest into death of Nottingham boy

A coroner has declared actions by staff at the Nottingham Children's Hospital were not responsible for causing the death of four year old Harry Procko.

Harry was admitted to hospital after suffering from gastro-enteritis and severe vomiting and diarrhoea. He had autism, and developmental delay.

He died 2 days after being discharged from hospital on 23rd June last year.

The coroner declared a narrative verdict.

An armed robber who was traced after a witness said he looked like Cat from the cult TV series Red Dwarf has had his sentence extended by judges after mounting a 'hopeless' appeal.

Usman Ali, 26, was involved in a raid on a security van and was caught the next day spending the stolen money, which had been stained with dye, in a betting shop.

Ali, from Small Heath in Birmingham, was jailed for eight years at the city's crown court in January, after being found guilty conspiracy to rob.

He today launched a bid to challenge his sentence at London's Criminal Appeal Court, complaining that the term was 'too long'.

But his complaints were thrown out by three senior judges, who said his objections were 'without merit'.

Having wasted the court's time, Ali was then told he would serve an extra three weeks behind bars.

Ali and accomplices ambushed a driver for a security firm outside a Wickes store on July 26 last year. They threatened him with a hammer before fleeing with a box containing £14,000.

The father of a four-year-old boy from Nottingham who died two days after being discharged from hospital has told a coroner about the moment he found his son collapsed on the floor.

Four-year-old Harry Procko was admitted to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre after GPs diagnosed him with gastroenteritis. He died two days after being discharged.

Harry's father Richard Clements was told by doctors everything was "in hand" with Harry's care when he was admitted on Friday, June 20 last year, Nottingham Coroner's Court heard.

The family, of St Anns, Nottingham, decided to take Harry home that night as his autism meant he was "agitated" and Mr Clements said his son would sleep better at home.

He said: "She (one of the doctors) said we could take him home but we would have to return him first thing Saturday morning."

When asked if he would have taken his son home if it contravened medical advice, Mr Clements said no.

The family returned to hospital the following day, but were told by doctors he was "looking better" and he was discharged.

But on June 23, Harry collapsed at home shortly after Mr Clements left him watching television to make a cup of tea.

He told the inquest: "I came back in and realised he was not moving about and I was trying to get some response out of him and realised he was not moving."

Mr Clements began CPR and Harry was taken by ambulance to the Queen's Medical Centre, where he was pronounced dead.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of Harry's death was dehydration.

The inquest is expected to last until Friday.