Ed Barry was found dead in a drug addict's flat in Gravesend

by Thom Morris

An email sent just nine minutes before teenager Edward Barry's body was found in a drug addict's flat pleaded with police, health and social services to help him.

It was revealed at the inquest into the 14-year-old's death that Gravesend Grammar School's Angela Purdy, who is in charge of student support, worried about his life, saying: "I don't want to attend his funeral."

The message - sent to agencies dealing with Edward, known as Ed - was read out to inquest jurors by counsel for the coroner Chris Sutton-Mattocks.

The email from Mrs Purdy read: "When are you going to do something positive to help him? Mr Barry said he didn't know where his son was.

"This is a boy who is just 14 and he's living with someone who is selling him drugs. Why can't that adult be arrested?

"I wonder what the local newspaper would make of it? I can see the headline now – '14-year-old dies from drug overdose'. I don't want to attend his funeral."

Ed's social worker Vicky McCarthy also admitted she was out of her depth and was not fully qualified when she took on Ed's case – one of 17 similar cases she had.

She was on a week-long training course that ended on the day Ed, of Pelham Road South, Gravesend, died on November 20, 2009.

Mr Sutton-Mattocks asked Mrs McCarthy: "How many were as complex as Edward?"

She responded: "I'd say the majority of them."

Despite not becoming a fully qualified social worker until late October, Mrs McCarthy said all decisions regarding his care would have been made by her line manager, which would then need to be taken up with the team manager and then the district manager.

Mrs McCarthy, who met Ed just twice, said she had several conversations about the teenager and "raised my concerns".

It was considered by social services that work should be put into ensuring Ed stayed with his family.

She said: "I expressed my concerns to my line manager. Her decision was hers. I have no say in her decisions."

Meanwhile, psychiatrist Dr Jeanette Philips told the inquest a warning letter sent to social services in July was ignored and not taken seriously.

Working for the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust, Dr Philips was helping Ed Barry and - after a few sessions - took the "unusual" step of writing to social services and suggest he be given a "secure placement".

Dr Phillips said: "I wanted a secure placement to be considered and to let them know that it was something more restrictive needed than the average foster placement.

"I believed he met the criteria. He was out of control, placing himself at risk and of sexual harm. I was concerned another family wouldn't be able to handle him. No other agencies had come up with a plan."

The family's barrister, Brian Cummins, asked if a lack of response was usual.

Dr Phillips said: "Yes, it was."

She added: "Social services need to have a real working relationship with us and the family."

When a meeting of professionals was called in September, Dr Phillips was not invited.

She said: "I think if the letter had been taken seriously by social services, I would have been invited to that meeting."

The inquest is now in its second week and is due to continue for up to another week.