'Christopher's Law will be a meaningful legacy'

Creating a law in memory of an autistic man who was stabbed to death will be a "meaningful legacy" for him, his mother has said.

Christopher Laskaris, 24, was stabbed in the neck in a flat in Leeds in November 2016, with his mother telling an inquest in 2019 he was "repeatedly exploited and abused" prior to his death.

Fiona Laskaris, Christopher's mother, said Christopher's Law would strengthen the existing Mental Capacity Act by requiring a capacity assessment to be undertaken where credible doubt is raised, including by family members.

She said: "It's absolutely amazing, it's so important and it means a lot for us."

Fiona added: "He was put through torment and torture. This means he can have a meaningful legacy.

"I'm really pleased that the government are taking this seriously."

Christopher, who was identified as being autistic when he was young, was stabbed through the heart by Philip Craig, who was convicted of murder in 2017.

At an inquest into his death, Fiona said her son had suffered mental health crises after moving from the family home to live in the Hyde Park area of Leeds.

In parliament, as Fiona listened from the public gallery, Dorking and Horley MP Chris Coghlan called on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to back Christopher's Law, which would "create a duty to assess capacity where it is in doubt".

The Mental Capacity Act applies to people involved in the care, treatment or support of people aged 16 and over – including doctors, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, healthcare assistants, and support staff.

Fiona's case has received cross-party support, including from her MP, Jeremy Hunt, and Rother Valley MP Jake Richards, who was also the lawyer who represented the Laskaris family at Christopher's inquest.

At Prime Minister's Questions, Starmer said Christopher's death was "a tragedy" and work was "under way".

Starmer added: "I agree that we owe it to families like Fiona and others to get this right.

"I can reassure him [Coghlan] that work is under way to examine what work is necessary to prevent further tragedies like this."

Follow BBC Surrey on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.