Infected blood investigation: Sywell woman calls for ‘justice’

A mother whose son died after receiving contaminated blood has appealed to the inquiry to bring ‘justice’.

Nicholas Calder was one of more than 30,000 people infected with HIV and Hepatitis C through contaminated blood products in Britain in the 1970s and 1980s. He died in 1999, aged 25.

His mother Rosemary, from Sywell, Northamptonshire, said the victims wanted their shortcomings ‘recognised’.

“I hope for the truth,” she said.

‘I hope for the parents who have never been recognized, that their children are recognized and that people are held accountable.

“Many of those (responsible for donating infected blood) are no longer with us, but I hope those who are will hold their hands up and acknowledge their wrongdoing.”

Mrs Calder said her ‘easy’ son was given blood as part of his treatment for haemophilia, and that medical professionals were evasive when she started asking questions after reading newspaper articles about cases of infected blood.

She said the family had to “keep going” after Nicholas tested positive for HIV at the age of 11.

The British Infected Blood Inquiry was announced in 2017 after years of campaigning by victims.

The study estimates that between 80 and 100 people were infected with HIV, and about 27,000 with Hepatitis C.

A government spokesman said: “This was a terrible tragedy and our thoughts remain with all those affected.

“We have consistently accepted the moral case for compensation, which is why we have tabled an amendment to the Victims and Prisoners Bill, which would allow for the establishment of a UK compensation scheme for infected blood and establish a new arm’s length body to deliver it.

“We will continue to listen carefully to those infected and affected about how we address this terrible scandal.”

Those infected have received annual financial support from the government, but no final compensation deal has yet been agreed.

In late 2022, the government, acting on advice from the inquiry, made interim payments of £100,000 each to around 4,000 surviving victims and some relatives.

Ms Calder said: “No amount of money can bring back what everyone has lost, but compensation will make life easier for those who were involved.”