'Murder' father's court appearance

A father was led into court in handcuffs today to be charged with the murder of his terminally ill 10-year-old son.

Andrew Wragg, 36, was arrested with his wife Mary on Saturday night when detectives were called to the family home in Worthing after a 999 call.

His son Jacob was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to Worthing Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Wragg appeared today at Chichester magistrates' court where he was charged with murder. His brother Chris and sister Tina were also in court.

Wragg spoke only to confirm his name and address and to give his date of birth. No application for bail was made and he was remanded until 5 August when he will appear at Lewes Crown Court.

His wife Mary, 40, was released without charge last night and was not in court for today's 10-minute hearing.

Jacob suffered from Hunter syndrome, a rare and incurable disorder which blocks mental and physical development. The disease affects one in 150,000 boys and symptoms include restricted growth, coarsening of the facial features, skin lesions, deafness and breathing problems.

It is transmitted from mothers to their sons - if the mother is a carrier there is a 50 per cent chance the son will be affected.

Wragg, a former soldier, had recently returned from Iraq where he had been working in private security. He previously served in the Merchant Navy and had been part of the QE2's crew.

The couple married in Worthing 12 years ago and Jacob was born in

1993. They have a younger son, George, who does not suffer from the disease. Mr and Mrs Wragg have been at the forefront of campaigns to raise awareness about Hunter syndrome.

Last year George presented Princess Alexandra with a bouquet at the opening of a £5 million children's hospital where Jacob received respite care. The Wraggs had helped raise funds for Chestnut Tree House near Arundel.

Mrs Wragg also raised money for a visit to South Africa to help a family whose nine-year-old son suffered from a similar condition to Jacob's. Hunter syndrome is one of a group of inherited disorders that result in a build-up in cells of complex sugar molecules called mucopolysaccharides.

A spokesman for the Society for Mucopolysaccharide Diseases said: "Most sufferers need help with bathing and feeding and their mobility can be severely restricted."