Leah's Law: MP to take campaign to Parliament
A bid to change the law on selling drugs to under 16s will be debated in Parliament later
A new law that could see selling drugs to teenager's made a specific legal offence is taking its next steps through Parliament today (Tuesday, 19 July).
Leah's Law will have a 10 minute reading - it's named in honour of 15-year-old Leah Hayes from Northallerton who died after taking ecstasy.
Kevin Hollinrake, MP for Thirsk and Malton, will introduce Leah’s Law as a Ten Minute Rule bill in the Commons.
This rule allows an MP to make a case for a new bill and politicians will then decide whether it should go any further.
Leah’s mum, Kerry Roberts said she was "so grateful" the bill is being heard in Parliament.
She says she's determined to make a difference:
“I couldn’t save Leah – I couldn’t help Leah. But there are so many millions of other children and parents whose lives I could save and change – make them think about what they’re doing and the consequences of taking drugs.”
15 year old Leah Hayes died after taking ecstasy in a park in Northallerton in 2019.
The drugs taken by Leah were supplied by two youths.
They were found guilty of supplying MDMA and were jailed for 21 months and 12 months - the maximum sentence under current law.
But the boys served just six months each behind bars.
Since then Leah's mum Kerry is urging the government for harsher penalties for those who supply drugs to those under 16.
Kerry said: "It's only become apparent to me, since Leah, how available and how easy it is and how dangerous it is to get hold of drugs.
"Leah had few pounds on her - I was told the drugs were ÂŁ2.50.
"She got the drugs easier than if she went to the shop to get a can of coke."
Leah's Law
Called Leah’s Law, Kerry is hoping to persuade ministers to look at changing the law making it a specific offence to supply drugs to children under 16.
Kerry continued: "When police said to me, she consented, this is why they won't get a longer sentence - because, by law, she consented.
"And my argument is she was 15-years-old. She was a child, by law, she was a minor.
"She couldn't consent to buying alcohol or having sex - none of that is legal at her age."
Kerry concludes: “I want to see a change in the law to make clear that any person under the age of 16 cannot consent to taking illegal substances.
"Why are drug dealers targeting our children but then get the same sentence as if they dealt to a 30-year-old who is quite aware of what he or she is doing."
Kerry has set up a Facebook page as part of her campaign – click here for more details.