Freed mother tells of her struggle to start life again

Sally Clark, who was wrongfully convicted of murdering her two baby sons, has told for the first time of the struggle to rebuild her life.

She battles to cope with the demands of bringing up her son Tom, five, and fears she may be permanently damaged. Once a confident solicitor, she has been left fragile and exhausted. Constantly afraid people will recognise her, she can no longer face crowds nor risk going alone to pick up Tom from school.

Her account comes in a new book, Stolen Innocence: A Mother's Fight For Justice - Sally Clark's Story, serialised by The Times. "I do not recognise myself compared with the confident and assured new mum/lawyer I was in 1996. I am a different person," she says. "Since my release, things have got worse, not better. In the first few weeks I seemed to be adjusting well. Now I am devastated that I seem to be going backwards."

Mrs Clark, 39, was pregnant with her third son Tom when she was charged. When he was born, she was not permitted to be alone with him and 10 days after the birth he was taken away. In the book - written by lawyer and family friend John Batt, although much of it is in Mrs Clark's own words - she describes her struggles to bond with her son. She said: "It does not come naturally. Mornings are particularly difficult. He always calls out 'Daddy'; never 'Mummy'." She only attempts the school run when she feels up to it, and even then is accompanied by their nanny. Her husband Steve said: "Initially she was frightened of being in the school playground in case someone said, 'That's Sally Clark, who murdered her two children'. Actually the other mums have been wonderful."

Her relationship with her husband also changed; she acknowledges she is "not the person he married". Despite the trauma, the couple would like another child. But Mr Clark admitted they would be "paranoid" and needing a full-time nurse "in case something happened".

His wife admitted she does not know if she will ever be strong enough to practise law again. But her priority is getting to know Tom properly, although "my self-confidence has been so destroyed it may be a pipe dream".