Optometrist Honey Rose has been found guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence at Ipswich Crown Court today. A jury took three hours and 21 minutes to reach its unanimous verdict.
Rose's bail conditions were extended and it was expected that she will be sentenced in mid-to late August. Suffolk Police said all sentencing options were open to Judge Justice Smith.
The prosecution successfully argued that Rose should have diagnosed papilledema on eight-year-old Vincent Barker during and eye test in 2012. Barker died five months later.
Parents Ian and Joanne Barker spoke outside court following the verdict: 'The outcome of this case does not change our life sentence; we will never be able to fully accept that our special little boy is never coming home. The void left in our lives will never heal and the ripple effect to those around us is immense. As parents the distress of witnessing your child’s life from start to end in just eight short years is excruciatingly hard and nonsensical. The decision of a jury or judge cannot bring Vinnie back or undo the devastation of his death. A guilty verdict would never make us winners, our loss is simply too great.
'Our main concern has always been the accountability of those we entrust with our own health and the health of those we love. It is the responsibility of individuals and the organisation they work for to perform their duties to the expected levels of good practice without exception. The actions of professionals or their failure to act to a standard at which they are required to perform should not go without consequence.
'It is not to our intention to damage the reputation of optometrists, but actually to raise awareness and promote the health benefits and value of good optometry. Because, we believe without doubt that if our son had received the duty of care he was owed on 15th February 2012, he would still be with us today.
Suffolk Police senior investigating officer detective superintendent Tonya Antonis told Optician: 'This has been a complex enquiry that initially came into police as the sudden unexplained death of a child. In these circumstances we start a full investigation to understand why that child has died and if we believe there are criminal acts involved we aim to put the facts before a court to bring those responsible to justice.
'During the course of this enquiry we discovered that, in our view, there was a criminal case to answer, leading to Honey Rose being charged.
'However this case was about much more than justice for Vinnie’s family.
'Whatever the outcome of the trial it was never going to bring Vinnie back and it was never their aim to see Honey Rose imprisoned, they only want to raise awareness of the issue so that something positive can come from his death.
'If this case makes the optometry profession reflect on their practices and review their policies to prevent it happening to anyone again, or encourages other parents to take their children to get their eyes tested with the knowledge that any serious issues would be picked up, then it will be worthwhile.'
In a statement Boots Opticians managing director Ben Fletcher said: ‘We offer our deepest condolences to Vincent Barker’s family. Our thoughts throughout this difficult period remain with the family following these tragic events.’