PARENTS WIN COURT BATTLE

Six Years After The Body Of Drug Addict Rachel Whiter Shocked
Britain A Judge Orders A Second Inquest To Find Out How She Died

SIX years on from her death, the family of tragic heroin victim
Rachel Whitear yesterday came a step closer to finding out how she died.

When the 21-year-old's body was discovered in her bedsit in May
2000, she was written off as just another appalling overdose statistic.

But mum Pauline Holcroft and stepdad Mick have always claimed there
are a lot of unanswered questions about the case.

Yesterday, they hailed a decision to hold a new inquest into the
death of Rachel - whose image was used in a graphic anti-drugs campaign.

Mum Pauline said outside the High Court: "Even from the very day
Rachel's body was discovered, we were never entirely happy that
everything possible was being done to try and discover exactly why
and how she died.

"There was always a nagging suspicion her death had been regarded as
just one more inconsequential drugs statistic and that she was a bit
of a nuisance." Police now say "significant new evidence" may
provide the answers she and Mick have been seeking.

They had been heartbroken at watching her descent from a fresh-faced
schoolgirl a few years earlier into heroin addict.

And the whole country was shocked by the photo of her blackened
corpse slumped on the floor of her dingy digs in Exmouth, Devon, a
discarded syringe nearby. Two sets of finger-prints were found on
the syringe, suggesting she did not die alone.

Suspicion fell on junkie ex-boyfriend [Name redacted] , 31, who lied
to police about when last he saw her. But he maintained his
innocence and the CPS ruled there was insufficient evidence to press charges.

Yet the inconclusive nature of the inquiry that followed the tragedy
death left Pauline and Mick determined to seek justice for Rachel.

Devon and Cornwall Police were so sure it was a straightforward
overdose that they failed to hold a postmortem. And that December an
inquest recorded an open verdict, citing the cause of death as
"unascertained".

But her family refused to let matters lie. And their tireless
campaigning began to pay off when, in 2003, officers from
neighbouring Wiltshire reopened the probe.

The force's lawyer Russell Fortt told the court yesterday
"significant new evidence, the disquiet of the family, the public
interest and the shortcomings of the original inquest" justified
further action.

Judge Lord Justice Maurice Kay blasted the initial coroner for "not
ensuring a further toxicology test and a post-mortem were carried out.

"A tragic death which attracted and continues to attract extensive
public interest has received the most inconclusive findings from an
inadequate inquest", he said. A new hearing might return "something
other than an open verdict", he added.

Wilts chief superintendent Paul Howlett said he now hoped the ruling
would help bring closure to Pauline and Mick's quest.

He said: "It's my hope this process will enable them to obtain a
greater understanding of the circumstances of their daughter's death
through addressing some of their previously unanswered questions."

Pauline said: "We're heartened. We feel this is a fair and just
result for Rachel and ourselves."

LONG CAMPAIGN

This Is How The Story Unfolded:

MAY 12, 2000: Rachel's body found in Exmouth.

DEC 2000: Coroner Richard Van Oppen is "cer tain" she did not die of overdose.

MAY 2003: Police Complaints Authority orders new inquiry by Wilts
police after parents Pauline and Mick Holcroft raise concerns about
Devon and Cornwall police probe.

FEB 2004: Parents say body can be exhumed.

MARCH 2004: Police say preliminary postmortem results show she did
not die of disease or "physical trauma".

AUG 2004: Detectives say no evidence of foul play - tests show death
was probably heroin-related.

JUNE 2005: Coroner Elizabeth Earland rules out fresh hearing.

Parents "extremely disappointed and perplexed" - backed by Ian
Bynoe, of Independent Police Complaints Commission, and Chief Supt
Paul Howlett, of Wilts police.

MARCH 2006: Mr Howlett asks High Court to quash inquest verdict.

SEPT 2006: He announces yesterday's hearing.