A MOTHER who has waited 14 years for an investigation into the death of her baby told an inquest she was in excruciating pain for hours before a caesarian section was carried out.

The baby's father, Jonathan Maw, told the hearing in Northallerton the tragedy involving baby Henry James Maw had left “one death, two ruined parents and two scared and frightened children”.

Mother June Hewson had five previous miscarriages after giving birth to two children, one born by caesarean and the other after a long labour when there had been complications.

She told Assistant North Yorkshire Coroner John Broadbridge that because of her history she understood she was a ‘high risk’ patient.

But Mr Broadbridge said this was not recorded in her notes.

Ms Hewson, of Bullamoor Road, Northallerton was induced at the town’s Friarage Hospital on August 22, 2005.

But she said she had never been warned there was a risk of her scar rupturing by being induced and as the day progressed she said the pain was so excruciating she couldn’t understand why she was still alive.

She begged for a caesarian after staff said the baby’s head was at one side and she was not dilating and one doctor told her there was a risk she could be rupturing.

Mr Broadbridge said in the papers submitted to him there were reports that there had been delays in administering the anaesthetic due to issues over consent.

Ms Hewson said she had never said she did not want a general anaesthetic, adding. “At that stage you could have hit me on the head with a hammer, I just wanted the pain gone."

She was taken to theatre and the baby was delivered at 7.43pm. Henry was taken to a resuscitator in the theatre, and there were reports of three heartbeats and a breath. For 50 minutes resuscitation was attempted but the baby was declared dead.

Mr Broadbridge said there was no consistency in the records. The baby was registered as a live birth but a post-mortem examination declared he had been a “fresh stillbirth” and the cause of death was asphyxiation.

He added: “It has been far too long as far as the family is concerned to have no resolution. There are conflicting issues. This is a fact finding inquiry not a discussion as to liability.”

The coroner said although the office would have had jurisdiction to hold an inquest, the case was not reported until 2016. Enquiries had been carried out by the police before it was transferred to the Coroner for investigation.

The case is due to end on Wednesday.