MP wins pledge over holiday death

Christopher Rochester died in hospital in Rhodes

The UK government is to put pressure on the Greek authorities over the death of a County Durham tourist who died on holiday, a minister has revealed.

Christopher Rochester died in 2000 after falling from a hotel balcony while on holiday in Faliraki, Rhodes.

His family want the Greek courts to explain why three doctors found negligent were subsequently acquitted.

Foreign Office Minister Douglas Alexander said UK officials were pressing Greek authorities for answers.

The family's MP, Durham North's Kevan Jones, used a House of Commons adjournment debate on Thursday to ask for the UK government's help.

We will continue to pursue this with the Greek authorities Foreign Office Minister Douglas Alexander

The convictions of three doctors found negligent in treating the 24-year-old from Chester-le-Street, were quashed in February by three judges but no explanation for the judgment was given.

His family say they are unable to take their case for a retrial to the Greek High Courts until the judges' response is made public but this may not be until August.

On Thursday Mr Jones told the Commons that he wanted the UK government to help the family find out the reasons for the acquittals.

He said the family also wanted to know why Mr Rochester's kidney, which was missing from the 24-year-old's body after its return to Britain, had disappeared completely.

Awaiting response

Mr Jones revealed the family were pursuing a civil case for damages against the Greek medical authorities

Mr Alexander told the House of Commons that the UK government was seeking clarification over the whereabouts of Mr Rochester's kidney.

He said consular staff in Athens had raised the issue with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and they had contacted the Ministry of Health.

"Our consul in Athens will continue to pursue this matter with the Greek authorities," said Mr Alexander.

Mr Rochester's stepfather, George Cummings said: "We want the Greeks to reopen the case and find out what went wrong with Christopher's autopsy in Greece.

"As far as the Greeks are concerned the kidney was the cause of Christopher's death, but we have reports saying the exact opposite."