Husband wins court fight over wife's cancer

A grieving husband today won a High Court victory only days after his dying wife gave evidence about the failings of the hospital which treated her.

Health visitor Helen Cooper died on 21 September, soon after giving evidence from a wheelchair in court.

Mr Justice Butterfield delivered a scathing attack on the muddle and

mismanagement which led

to a negligent breach of trust by doctors treating Mrs Cooper, from Chippenham in Wiltshire.

A further hearing will now decide if that negligence led to her death and whether the hospital trust must pay compensation to her family.

Outside court Mick Cooper said: "I am very, very pleased for my wife. The judgment was true and honest. I hope it will help other people ."

Mother-of-two Mrs Cooper, 51, who worked for the NHS for 34 years, had sued the Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust over the failures of their breast screening procedure.