The mum of a teenager killed by a dangerous driver has described how she has been left to struggling to cope after the culprit was jailed.
Marcus Simmons-Allen was crossing the road when he was hit by Connor Matthews, who was driving at 65mph - more than twice the limit.
The 18-year-old was hit on George Richards Way, in Broadheath, Altrincham , and rushed to hospital in a critical condition on Sunday, October 10 last year.
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Tragically, the teenager died in hospital the following day.
Matthews, 23, was jailed for six years and eight months for Marcus' death in February this year, as well as being banned from driving for eight years.
Speaking to the MEN, Marcus’ mum, Paula Allen, has told of her difficulties in finding counselling for herself and her two children to help come to terms with the death of her beloved son.
“It's difficult to manage afterwards, I’m finding it difficult to do even the little things - there's not a lot of help for the families in the local communities,” she said.
“Four months on, I have managed to find professional counselling for one of us. It’s £90 each per hour. Nobody has that kind of disposable income.
“We do have an FLO (family liaison officer) but they can only advise us where to go.
“The court case finished for Connor Matthews, but for the family it is still ongoing.”
The inquest into the death of Marcus was postponed due to the trial - and because of that, forensic teams have still been analysing parts of his body.
However, the family have since been informed that there will be no inquest into Marcus' death.
On that dreadful night, Paula was the first on on the scene and found Marcus lying unconscious in the road, having been alerted by a friend who had been with him.
She has since described how her ‘soul left her body’ in the horror of the moment.
Marcus was taken to Salford Royal Hospital following the collision. Paula says they did a good job looking after him, something which the family have taken a lot of comfort from.
“The GP has been phenomenal, the school has been phenomenal, the police have been phenomenal. But we are victims of crime,” she said.
“You’ve got to keep on going.
“I work in the local authority in school, it’s tough to do, when they are full of little, smiling kids it just takes me back to when my son was little.
“I saw a video posted by Greater Manchester Police about two ladies who said they were paying privately.
“We have paid enough.
“GMP have done a fantastic job. I can’t thank them enough at the Serious Collision Unit, Phil Shaw has been phenomenal, the CPS have been phenomenal, the emergency services were phenomenal.
“I am in awe of what they have done. But suddenly we are sat still and we can’t get any counselling to help sort us out.
“We have our family around but they are not qualified to help, we need that extra help.
“I feel like banging my head against a brick wall. I don't want my kids to be affected by this. Nobody says how to deal with holding a dying child.”
Paula said that she has been suffering with symptoms of PTSD and anxiety, and said it would be four months until she is able to see someone face-to-face.
“People think once the court case is done you just get on with it, that you’ve got to try and move forward, but we need help to do that,” she said.
“This has never happened to anyone I know like this before.
“I am really, really struggling. Something has to change.”
A spokesperson for GMP said: “All victims can access services via www.gmvictims.org.uk and in cases where a Family Liaison Officer (FLO) is deployed, in most cases where someone has died, their main job is part of the investigation team but they can also signpost victims to the relevant services on offer.”
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Health and Social Care said the mayor and deputy mayor has responsibility for governance and budgets around GMP, including the role of the PCC (Police and Crime Commissioner).
PCC’s receive annual funding from the Ministry of Justice for services to support victims.
In Greater Manchester, Victim Support is commissioned to provide the main support and referral service for victims of crime. Following a report of a crime, victims can be referred to them via the police and victims can also contact them directly about support.
Information around how to do this can be found here Victim Support (Greater Manchester) | Greater Manchester Victims' Services (gmvictims.org.uk)
“This is a service provided across Greater Manchester. There is also information on this website about other services available locally, which are not commissioned / funded by the PCC but might be of help to victims,” they said.
“There are additional support services that the deputy mayor, as PCC, provides funding to through the Ministry of Justice grant. The majority of these services provide more specialist support, including for example support for victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault and rape and hate crime.
“However, PCCs do not commission the entirety of support services which victims may need to access. Local authorities also provide support services, for example through the commissioning of domestic abuse services, and support can also be provided through the voluntary sector.
“In relation to accessing trauma and/or bereavement counselling I believe that in the main this type of support would be provided through the NHS via referrals to the relevant services and this is not something that PCCs have oversight or responsibility for.”
For more information about services for victims of crime, visit www.gmvictims.org.uk.
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