These last few weeks have been (particularly) battering. Sloven have revealed ‘their hand’ as documentation is circulated in advance of LB’s inquest. Despite glossy (meaningless) words in the Independent on Sunday, they continue to hold their (battle) ground.

Six members of staff now have separate legal representation. Six? Four of these are currently ‘properly interested parties’ along with Sloven and us. Interested parties can ask questions during the inquest. There will be eight sets of legal bods present. Wow. How will the tiny, wooden courtroom, described by John Lish, accommodate everyone?

I pretty much stopped working today. Sadly. It’s impossible to read the reports/interviews/documentation and continue to ‘work’. The emotional distress is too intense. We’ve been catapulted back to that space between LB’s death and his do. A space that defies words. This afternoon I slept. This morning we talked with a journalist. Re-living horror. And hearing further horror. Learning disabled people are simply treated with unchallenged (and accepted) contempt. Over and over again.

Our experience over the past two years can be summarised as harrowing grief, devastation, disbelief and destruction with repeated, unremitting and remorseless (hobnailed) booting by Sloven/OCC. Neither body has expressed a drop of positive action, candour or transparency. Fake apologies and dirty actions. Remarkable really.

In contrast, people have collectively recognised, rallied, raged and stepped up. A sort of maelstrom of creativity, colour, brightness, spontaneity, humour, life and humanity. Even more remarkable. [Thank goodness]

I hope we manage to retain some ‘sanity’ during the unfolding of this long awaited and deeply dreaded process. We’ve nothing to gain in many ways. LB is dead. That ain’t going to change. Answers? Within the boxes of documentation/reviews stacking up it’s pretty clear what happened and why. There’s no need for the inquest to be adversarial. With eight legal teams and the rows of ducks lined up, I can’t see it being anything else.