A DEVASTATED mother whose 15-year-old daughter died after being given ecstasy has launched a petition calling for a change in the law to protect children with tougher sentences for offenders.

Kerry Roberts wants no other family to go through the torment she has been through since her daughter Leah Heyes died in May 2019. Leah had taken ecstasy bought from two youths in a park in Northallerton, within hours she was dead.

Kerry is now campaigning for Leah's Law, to get 100,000 people to sign a petition to persuade the Government to look at changing the law making it a specific offence to supply drugs to children under 16.

Read more: Leah Heyes inquest: Northallerton teenager died after taking MDMA bought for £10 

She said: "The two boys found guilty of supplying MDMA (ecstasy) that night got 21 months and 12 months, the maximum sentence under current law, only serving six months each. It's illegal to buy alcohol or cigarettes and to consent to sex under 16, there must be more safety measures against drugs being offered to children.

"I want to see a change in the law to make clear that any person under the age of 16 cannot consent to taking illegal substances.

"This will have a two-pronged effect in keeping young people safe but also holding those who supply accountable for death and serious injury as a result."

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Connor Kirkwood, 18, from Dishforth, and Mitchell Southern, 19, from Thirsk, pleaded guilty to supplying the ecstasy which killed Leah. Kirkwood also pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine.

The court was told Kirkwood had brought the drugs to Northallerton with Southern handing them over to Leah wrapped in a cigarette paper to create what is known as a 'bomb'.

Since the court case in November last year the devastated mother has been haunted by the sentences given out. Leah took the drug willingly and supplying was the only charge brought.

Kerry added: "But she was 15-years-old she wasn’t old enough to say yes or no. She couldn’t have gone and bought a bottle of beer, how can it be the case that she can consent to taking a Class A Drug. There is no law about underage consent to taking drugs, it is the same as for an adult

"It was after the court case I thought how are they not punished for that, they got such a rubbish sentence.

"For the courts, it is out of their hands. I think the law should be changed, it is about protecting our children. If you thought you were going to get a harsher sentence maybe people would think about supplying drugs to under 16’s."

Kerry, who was having a baby, when Leah died said she would have adored her little sister Ava and believes Leah would want her to campaign for a change in the law.

She has six months to encourage enough people to sign the petition which can be found here. 

With 10,000 signatures the government has to respond and it will be considered for debate in Parliament.