Murderer and wife get €26k over fertility treatment denial

THE European Court of Human Rights has ruled that Britain breached the rights of a murderer and his wife by denying them access to artificial insemination.

Kirk Dickson, 35, wants to have a baby but will not be released from prison until 2009 at the earliest.

By that time his wife Lorraine, 49, of Beverley, East Yorkshire, who has three children from other relationships, will be 51.

The couple’s legal team put their case before the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in January. They argued artificial insemination was their only chance to have a child of their own and that a Home Office decision to deny them the treatment breached their human rights.

The couple met via a pen pal network in 1999 while Ms Dickson was also in jail. They married in 2001.

The couple launched a legal battle in October 2001, but two years later then Home Secretary David Blunkett rejected their bid.

Yesterday, the court ruled in their favour, awarding them €5,000 in damages and €21,000 in costs.

The couple were “elated” at the court’s decision, their legal team said.

But the ruling has come too late for them because Ms Dickson is now in an open prison and allowed home leave.