Ian and Angela Gay, who were jailed last year for the 'salt overdose' killg of a three-year-old boy they had planned to adopt, outsi the Court of Appeal London after their nvictn was quashed Stock Photo - Alamy

Contents:

• THE UNENDG NIGHTMARE: IAN AND ANGELA GAY SPEAK OUT
• ANGELA GAY
• IAN AND ANGELA GAY CLEARED OF MANSLGHTER
• IAN AND ANGELA GAY, WHO WERE JAILED LAST YEAR FOR THE 'SALT OVERDOSE' KILLG OF A THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY THEY HAD PLANNED TO ADOPT, OUTSI THE COURT OF APPEAL LONDON AFTER THEIR NVICTN WAS QUASHED.
• IAN AND ANGELA GAY WERE NVICTED OF KILLG THEIR SON CHRISTIAN BY MEANS OF AN IMPOSSIBLE ACT, MA THEORETILLY POSSIBLE BY A DODGY EXPERT, WHILE THE CHIEF NATURAL E WAS LED OUT .. THAT'S BRISH JTICE FOR YOU 2005; SALT POISON CASE EXCLUSIVE.
• IAN ANGELA GAY STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG
• ANGELA GAY (FOREGROUND) ARRIV AT WORCTER CROWN COURT. IAN AND ANGELA GAY OM HALOWEN, WT MIDLANDS, ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE POISONED CHRISTA BLEWT WH SALT AND ED HIM A HEAD JURY OM WHICH HE LATER DIED.
• ‘DEATH BY SALT POISONG’ VERDICT BASED ON DISCREDED MEDIL PAPER – ANGELA AND IAN GAY (2002)
• EXPRS & STARHOMENEWSSPORTENTERTAMENTSERVICNOTIFITN SETTGSSUBSCRIBE TO ONE OR ALL NOTIFITN SOURC OM THIS ONE PLACE.NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET THE DAY'S TOP STORI SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU.SIGN ME UPNEWSALL NEWS COST OF LIVGLOL HUBSCRIMEPOLICSHEALTHBSEDUTNVOICFEATURENVIRONMENTMORE UK NEWSNOSTALGIAPROPERTYTRANSPORTMOTORSWORLD NEWSVIRAL NEWSFEED A FAYSPONSORED ARTICLFD NEWS FOR YOUR TOWN'WE'RE SPEGOATS' - SALT UPLESANDWELLNEWSPUBLISHED: MAR 3, 2007AFTER BEG CLEARED OF THE MANSLGHTER OF CHRISTIAN BLEWT, ANGELA AND IAN GAY REMA TRMATISED BY EVENTS. THEY SPOKE EXCLIVELY TO MARN BRENNAN.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER!SIGN UPAFTER BEG CLEARED OF THE MANSLGHTER OF CHRISTIAN BLEWT, ANGELA AND IAN GAY REMA TRMATISED BY EVENTS. THEY SPOKE EXCLIVELY TOMARN BRENNAN.LIFE HAS CHANGED UNIMAGABLY FOR IAN AND ANGELA GAY, THE UPLE THAT WERE PORTRAYED AS HAVG ALL.THEY HAVE HAD TO SELL THEIR £500,000 LUXURY HOME BROMSGROVE FOR A THREE-BED HOE HALOWEN, WH WDOWS THAT BADLY NEED REPLACG, ACRDG TO ANGELA.THE HIGH-POWERED RS HAVE GONE, AS HAVE THE FOREIGN HOLIDAYS, ALTHOUGH THE BOAT WHICH THEY KEPT MOORED ON THE RIVER SEVERN HAS REMAED, THANKS TO FANCIAL HELP OM IAN'S MOTHER JACKIE.THE BOAT HAS HELPED OCCUPY IAN'S TIME SCE THEY WERE RELEASED OM JAIL 11 MONTHS AGO, ALTHOUGH THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO SPEND A NIGHT ON UNTIL NOW BEE OF THE NDNS OF THEIR BAIL.ANGELA, AGED 40, LOST HER HIGH-EARNG JOB AS AN SURANCE ACTUARY WHEN SHE AND 39-YEAR-OLD IAN WERE CHARGED WH CHRISTIAN'S MANSLGHTER 2002. FOR OVER A YEAR THEY HAD NO E AND SURVIVED ONLY WH THE HELP OF THEIR FAI.THE UPLE WERE YTERDAY CLEARED OF THE MANSLGHTER OF THE THREE-YEAR-OLD, OM WT BROMWICH, FOLLOWG A RETRIAL AT NOTTGHAM CROWN COURT.MR AND MRS GAY, WHO FACED A SEND TRIAL AFTER THE COURT OF APPEAL QUASHED THEIR ORIGAL NVICTNS, WERE ACCED OF GIVG CHRISTIAN AN OVERDOSE OF SALT.CHRISTIAN WAS JT FIVE WEEKS TO A 13-WEEK TRIAL ADOPTN WH THE UPLE, ALONG WH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER NATHAN AND FANT SISTER CHLOE, WHEN HE LLAPSED AT THEIR THEN HOME BROMSGROVE DECEMBER 2002, LATER DYG HOSPAL. SPEAKG OF THEIR ORAL, ANGELA SAID: "IT WAS AWFUL. WHAT REALLY ANNOYED ME WAS THIS PORTRAYAL OF AS WEALTHY, MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE. WE'RE BOTH OM NORMAL FAI WH WORKG-CLASS BACKGROUNDS. WE DID HAVE A NICE HOE AND, Y, WAS LUXUR BUT WE STILL HAD A MORTGAGE AND OWED MONEY, LIKE MOST PEOPLE."THEY STILL HAVE VIVID MEMORI OF THREE-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIAN, WHOSE SUDN ATH OM A RARE FORM OF SALT DIABET SET MOTN A TERRIBLE CHA OF EVENTS.IAN, WHO HAD OPTED TO BE THE CHILDREN'S FULL-TIME DAD WHILE ANGELA WENT TO WORK, RELLED: "CHRISTIAN WAS A GOOD LAD. HE LOVED HIS TWEENI AND HIS LTLE RS. YOU'D LL HIM TO THE DNER TABLE AND HE'D HAVE A R EACH HAND. HE WAS VERY OBEDIENT, HE REALLY TOOK YOU AT YOUR WORD. IF YOU SAID, 'DON'T MOVE', MEANG OM THE ROOM, HE TOOK LERALLY AND WOULD STAND LIKE A STATUE THE SAME SPOT."ANGELA ADD: "ON THAT FIRST NIGHT, WHEN WE PUT THEM TO BED, WAS SUCH A BRILLIANT FEELG. AT LAST WE DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE THEM BACK AGA. IAN KEPT PEERG THROUGH THE BEDROOM DOOR AT THEM. WE WERE LIKE BIG KIDS OURSELV." IAN ADD: "WE ONLY HAD THEM FOR SIX WEEKS BUT SO MANY EVERYDAY THGS BRG BACK HAPPY MEMORI. EVEN NOW, EVERY TIME I SMELL A BABY WIPE, REMDS ME OF THE KIDS."THE TRMA OF LOSG CHRISTIAN WAS POUND WHEN SOCIAL WORKERS ARRIVED AND TOOK AWAY THE OTHER TWO CHILDREN.ANGELA SAID: "A WEEK AFTER CHRISTIAN DIED, ALL THE CHILDREN WERE GONE. I REMEMBER ASKG WHEN WE WOULD GET THEM BACK. NO NTACT WAS ALLOWED, NOT EVEN A LETTER. THEY WERE SO LD ABOUT . I JT FELL TO PIEC."THE DAY THEY ME FOR THEM, I ULDN'T STAY THE HOE AND WATCH. WE WENT OUT FOR A DRIVE. WE HAND OVER EVERYTHG WE'D BOUGHT FOR THEM - VTS, BABYGROS, TOYS."THE HEALG PROCS WAS LONG AND PAFUL. FOR A FEW MONTHS WE ULDN'T LOOK AT PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CHILDREN."IN A MOMENT OF HEARTBREAKG HONTY, IAN ADMTED: "THERE WERE TIM WHEN I WISHED I'D NEVER SET EY ON THEM."PRISON WAS "A LIVG HELL" FOR BOTH OF THEM BUT THEY SURVIVED THEIR 15 MONTHS SI, BEFORE BEG EED ON APPEAL, RELATIVELY GOOD SHAPE.ANGELA WAS PUT SEGREGATN TO PROTECT HER OM ATTACKS BY HER FELLOW MAT. "THEY ED TO LL ME KIDDY-FIDDLER, BABY-KILLER, NONCE. IT'S NOT NICE TO TALK ABOUT."SEGREGATN WAS A FENCED PEN, LIKE A GE, AND THE OTHER WOMEN WOULD E RIGHT UP TO THE BARS AND SHOUT."AFTER A WHILE I REFED TO GO . IT WAS SO OPPRSIVE AND PRSG." IAN WAS TAKEN TO BLAKENHURST AND PUT THE VULNERABLE PERSONS' UN AND LATER MOVED TO A PRISON SPECIALISG SEX OFFENRS. "AT LEAST THAT TYPE OF PRISONER ISN'T TERTED G TROUBLE. THEY WEREN'T VLENT," HE SAID.ANGELA ADD: "WHEN WE WERE RELEASED AND ME HOME, WE FOUND WE ULDN'T MAKE ANY CISNS. WE WERE STUTNALISED.""WE ULDN'T EVEN CI WHAT WE WANTED TO EAT. WE'VE GOT BETTER NOW BUT THE FIRST TIME WE WENT TO A SUPERMARKET AFTER GETTG OUT, OUR TROLLEY WAS JT A MOUNTA OF STUFF. WE ULDN'T GET OVER THE CHOICE."BUT SHE SAID TRIPS OUT WERE RARE FOR MANY MONTHS AS HER NFINCE H ROCK BOTTOM."HOLDG MY HEAD UP WAS NOT DIFFICULT BEE I'D DONE NOTHG WRONG BUT I ULDN'T LOOK AT ANYONE. AT MERRY HILL, I'D JT LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD. I WAS NVCED PEOPLE WERE LOOKG AT ME. IN ONE SHOP, A WOMAN SAID, 'DON'T I KNOW YOU?'. I JT OZE AND KEPT SAYG, 'NO, YOU DON'T'."BUT THEIR ORAL HAS ALSO HAD SOME POSIVE EFFECTS. THEY SAY HAS MA THEM APPRECIATE WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT LIFE.ANGELA SAID: "PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO HAVE THE LATT PLAYSTATN, OR THE BIGGT TELLY. BUT I SURVIVED PRISON WH ONE CUP, ONE PLATE, A FORK, A SPOON, TEA BAGS AND A JAR OF FFEE."BOTH HAVE NOTHG BUT PRAISE FOR THE STEADFAST SUPPORT OF THEIR FAI, PECIALLY ANGELA'S BROTHER CARL SWA, WHO LED THEIR MPAIGN FOR JTICE, AND HER MOTHER MARGARET SWA."I'D RG MUM OM PRISON FOR A CRY," SAID ANGELA. "I REFED UNSELLG THERE BEE I HAD MY FAY. I SPOKE TO MUM A UPLE OF TIM A DAY, WROTE EVERY DAY, AND THERE WERE REGULAR VISS. THEY'D LISTEN AND KEEP STRONG. OUR FAI HAVE SUFFERED AS WELL. THEIR LIV HAVE BEEN ON HOLD, TOO."THEIR OWN RELATNSHIP HAS ALSO STOOD UP TO THE TT. STROKG IAN'S LEGS, ANGELA SAID: "THERE WAS NEVER ANY DOUBT. OUR RELATNSHIP GREW STRONGER." IAN ADD: "THERE WILL ONLY EVER BE ONE PERSON WHO N FULLY UNRSTAND WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH."AS FOR THE FUTURE, THEY HOPE TO FD WORK AGA, GET BACK TO A HAPPY HUMDM OF A DAILY ROUTE, AND THEN WHO KNOWS?THEY CERTALY STILL FEEL BTERNS TOWARDS THE POLICE, SANDWELL SOCIAL SERVIC AND PARTS OF THE JTICE SYSTEM. "WE WERE SPEGOATS," SAID IAN. BUT NOW, AT LEAST, THEY FEEL ABLE TO MOVE ON WH THEIR LIV.ANGELA SAID: "CHRISTIAN'S ATH WAS SUCH A LONG TIME AGO. IT'S OVER FOUR YEARS SCE WE'VE HAD A NORMAL LIFE AND 'S ONLY NOW THAT WE N MOVE FORWARD."WE'LL NEVER BE THE SAME PEOPLE BUT PERHAPS NOW OTHERS WILL UNRSTAND THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN BEE WE WERE WELL-OFF AND WANTED THE PERFECT FAY. THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY ULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYONE."NEWSLOL HUBSSANDWELLDUDLEYMOST READ

THE UNENDG NIGHTMARE: IAN AND ANGELA GAY SPEAK OUT

Angela and Ian Gay n remember the exact moment they learned they were to be parents: 7. '"The Gays had been approved to adopt three young children: Christian Blewt, then three, his brother Nathan, almost two, and sister Chloe, ten months. And a terrible misrriage of jtice, the Gays were acced and nvicted of killg the toddler by forcg him to eat a fatal dose of salt.

Beg strip-searched by two prison officers lghg at you bee you have a name like Gay was horrendo. "There n be no doubt that the Gays have been eply affected by their dreadful oral. It also emerged that social servic had not given the Gays full tails of Christian's medil background.

ANGELA GAY

Yet social servic had told the Gays that Christian had "no medil issu" when he and his two siblgs were hand over to them for a trial adoptn perd. " The Gays, who met at London's Cy Universy, were unable to nceive naturally bee Angela had a hysterectomy aged 16 followg a ncer sre.

IAN AND ANGELA GAY CLEARED OF MANSLGHTER

"After eight months of scty by social servic, the Gays were approved for adoptn and they moved to a £500, 000 hoe close to good schools Bromsgrove reads for the arrival of the gave up his job as a bs manager while Angela, wh her larger salary, was to be the breadwner.

'"The Gays lavished the children wh love and cuddl.

IAN AND ANGELA GAY, WHO WERE JAILED LAST YEAR FOR THE 'SALT OVERDOSE' KILLG OF A THREE-YEAR-OLD BOY THEY HAD PLANNED TO ADOPT, OUTSI THE COURT OF APPEAL LONDON AFTER THEIR NVICTN WAS QUASHED.

"The Gays were terrified that social servic would take the children away, and so rolved to do as their social worker stcted. At lunchtime he was sick, so the Gays put him to bed for rt, wakg him up after an hour and a half.

IAN AND ANGELA GAY WERE NVICTED OF KILLG THEIR SON CHRISTIAN BY MEANS OF AN IMPOSSIBLE ACT, MA THEORETILLY POSSIBLE BY A DODGY EXPERT, WHILE THE CHIEF NATURAL E WAS LED OUT .. THAT'S BRISH JTICE FOR YOU 2005; SALT POISON CASE EXCLUSIVE.

"Wh hours, police had arrived at the Gays' home and arrted Angela as well.

IAN ANGELA GAY STOCK PHOTOS AND IMAG

"That eveng, followg the Gays' release on bail, the uple spent the night at a relative's hoe. "Two days later, Christian died and the Gays were arrted for murr.

ANGELA GAY (FOREGROUND) ARRIV AT WORCTER CROWN COURT. IAN AND ANGELA GAY OM HALOWEN, WT MIDLANDS, ARE ALLEGED TO HAVE POISONED CHRISTA BLEWT WH SALT AND ED HIM A HEAD JURY OM WHICH HE LATER DIED.

Angela and Ian Gay were nvicted of manslghter followg the ath of a child they had been nsirg adoptg, three-year old Christian Blewt.

The prosecutn argued that the Gays force-fed Christian salt as a punishment. Angela and Ian Gay were both found not guilty at a retrial. BBC World Service - Outlook, Ian and Angela Gay Cleared of Manslghter.

‘DEATH BY SALT POISONG’ VERDICT BASED ON DISCREDED MEDIL PAPER – ANGELA AND IAN GAY (2002)

Ian and Angela Gay Cleared of Manslghter. Ian and Angela Gay on beg cleared of killg their adopted child by salt overdose; Other ems clu, the 'Saved By A Stranger' petn wners announced; Bld adventurer Mil Hilton-Barber on flyg a light aircraft om England to Atralia.

Christian was five weeks to a 13-week trial adoptn wh Ian and Angela Gay when he llapsed at their then home, Bromsgrove, Worctershire, December four days tensive re, he died at Birmgham children's hospal. In police terviews after Christian's ath, Mr Gay, 39, said the three-year-old had been misbehavg, refg to eat his uple left him alone as they thought he was simply seekg attentn but soon heard a crash and disvered Christian had thrown his lunch on the Gay told police he had thought Christian was lghg at him, and put him to bed as a, the Gays found Christian atose the bedroom and took him to Rsells Hall hospal Dudley.

EXPRS & STARHOMENEWSSPORTENTERTAMENTSERVICNOTIFITN SETTGSSUBSCRIBE TO ONE OR ALL NOTIFITN SOURC OM THIS ONE PLACE.NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO GET THE DAY'S TOP STORI SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU.SIGN ME UPNEWSALL NEWS COST OF LIVGLOL HUBSCRIMEPOLICSHEALTHBSEDUTNVOICFEATURENVIRONMENTMORE UK NEWSNOSTALGIAPROPERTYTRANSPORTMOTORSWORLD NEWSVIRAL NEWSFEED A FAYSPONSORED ARTICLFD NEWS FOR YOUR TOWN'WE'RE SPEGOATS' - SALT UPLESANDWELLNEWSPUBLISHED: MAR 3, 2007AFTER BEG CLEARED OF THE MANSLGHTER OF CHRISTIAN BLEWT, ANGELA AND IAN GAY REMA TRMATISED BY EVENTS. THEY SPOKE EXCLIVELY TO MARN BRENNAN.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR DAILY NEWSLETTER!SIGN UPAFTER BEG CLEARED OF THE MANSLGHTER OF CHRISTIAN BLEWT, ANGELA AND IAN GAY REMA TRMATISED BY EVENTS. THEY SPOKE EXCLIVELY TOMARN BRENNAN.LIFE HAS CHANGED UNIMAGABLY FOR IAN AND ANGELA GAY, THE UPLE THAT WERE PORTRAYED AS HAVG ALL.THEY HAVE HAD TO SELL THEIR £500,000 LUXURY HOME BROMSGROVE FOR A THREE-BED HOE HALOWEN, WH WDOWS THAT BADLY NEED REPLACG, ACRDG TO ANGELA.THE HIGH-POWERED RS HAVE GONE, AS HAVE THE FOREIGN HOLIDAYS, ALTHOUGH THE BOAT WHICH THEY KEPT MOORED ON THE RIVER SEVERN HAS REMAED, THANKS TO FANCIAL HELP OM IAN'S MOTHER JACKIE.THE BOAT HAS HELPED OCCUPY IAN'S TIME SCE THEY WERE RELEASED OM JAIL 11 MONTHS AGO, ALTHOUGH THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO SPEND A NIGHT ON UNTIL NOW BEE OF THE NDNS OF THEIR BAIL.ANGELA, AGED 40, LOST HER HIGH-EARNG JOB AS AN SURANCE ACTUARY WHEN SHE AND 39-YEAR-OLD IAN WERE CHARGED WH CHRISTIAN'S MANSLGHTER 2002. FOR OVER A YEAR THEY HAD NO E AND SURVIVED ONLY WH THE HELP OF THEIR FAI.THE UPLE WERE YTERDAY CLEARED OF THE MANSLGHTER OF THE THREE-YEAR-OLD, OM WT BROMWICH, FOLLOWG A RETRIAL AT NOTTGHAM CROWN COURT.MR AND MRS GAY, WHO FACED A SEND TRIAL AFTER THE COURT OF APPEAL QUASHED THEIR ORIGAL NVICTNS, WERE ACCED OF GIVG CHRISTIAN AN OVERDOSE OF SALT.CHRISTIAN WAS JT FIVE WEEKS TO A 13-WEEK TRIAL ADOPTN WH THE UPLE, ALONG WH HIS YOUNGER BROTHER NATHAN AND FANT SISTER CHLOE, WHEN HE LLAPSED AT THEIR THEN HOME BROMSGROVE DECEMBER 2002, LATER DYG HOSPAL. SPEAKG OF THEIR ORAL, ANGELA SAID: "IT WAS AWFUL. WHAT REALLY ANNOYED ME WAS THIS PORTRAYAL OF AS WEALTHY, MIDDLE-CLASS PEOPLE. WE'RE BOTH OM NORMAL FAI WH WORKG-CLASS BACKGROUNDS. WE DID HAVE A NICE HOE AND, Y, WAS LUXUR BUT WE STILL HAD A MORTGAGE AND OWED MONEY, LIKE MOST PEOPLE."THEY STILL HAVE VIVID MEMORI OF THREE-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIAN, WHOSE SUDN ATH OM A RARE FORM OF SALT DIABET SET MOTN A TERRIBLE CHA OF EVENTS.IAN, WHO HAD OPTED TO BE THE CHILDREN'S FULL-TIME DAD WHILE ANGELA WENT TO WORK, RELLED: "CHRISTIAN WAS A GOOD LAD. HE LOVED HIS TWEENI AND HIS LTLE RS. YOU'D LL HIM TO THE DNER TABLE AND HE'D HAVE A R EACH HAND. HE WAS VERY OBEDIENT, HE REALLY TOOK YOU AT YOUR WORD. IF YOU SAID, 'DON'T MOVE', MEANG OM THE ROOM, HE TOOK LERALLY AND WOULD STAND LIKE A STATUE THE SAME SPOT."ANGELA ADD: "ON THAT FIRST NIGHT, WHEN WE PUT THEM TO BED, WAS SUCH A BRILLIANT FEELG. AT LAST WE DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE THEM BACK AGA. IAN KEPT PEERG THROUGH THE BEDROOM DOOR AT THEM. WE WERE LIKE BIG KIDS OURSELV." IAN ADD: "WE ONLY HAD THEM FOR SIX WEEKS BUT SO MANY EVERYDAY THGS BRG BACK HAPPY MEMORI. EVEN NOW, EVERY TIME I SMELL A BABY WIPE, REMDS ME OF THE KIDS."THE TRMA OF LOSG CHRISTIAN WAS POUND WHEN SOCIAL WORKERS ARRIVED AND TOOK AWAY THE OTHER TWO CHILDREN.ANGELA SAID: "A WEEK AFTER CHRISTIAN DIED, ALL THE CHILDREN WERE GONE. I REMEMBER ASKG WHEN WE WOULD GET THEM BACK. NO NTACT WAS ALLOWED, NOT EVEN A LETTER. THEY WERE SO LD ABOUT . I JT FELL TO PIEC."THE DAY THEY ME FOR THEM, I ULDN'T STAY THE HOE AND WATCH. WE WENT OUT FOR A DRIVE. WE HAND OVER EVERYTHG WE'D BOUGHT FOR THEM - VTS, BABYGROS, TOYS."THE HEALG PROCS WAS LONG AND PAFUL. FOR A FEW MONTHS WE ULDN'T LOOK AT PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CHILDREN."IN A MOMENT OF HEARTBREAKG HONTY, IAN ADMTED: "THERE WERE TIM WHEN I WISHED I'D NEVER SET EY ON THEM."PRISON WAS "A LIVG HELL" FOR BOTH OF THEM BUT THEY SURVIVED THEIR 15 MONTHS SI, BEFORE BEG EED ON APPEAL, RELATIVELY GOOD SHAPE.ANGELA WAS PUT SEGREGATN TO PROTECT HER OM ATTACKS BY HER FELLOW MAT. "THEY ED TO LL ME KIDDY-FIDDLER, BABY-KILLER, NONCE. IT'S NOT NICE TO TALK ABOUT."SEGREGATN WAS A FENCED PEN, LIKE A GE, AND THE OTHER WOMEN WOULD E RIGHT UP TO THE BARS AND SHOUT."AFTER A WHILE I REFED TO GO . IT WAS SO OPPRSIVE AND PRSG." IAN WAS TAKEN TO BLAKENHURST AND PUT THE VULNERABLE PERSONS' UN AND LATER MOVED TO A PRISON SPECIALISG SEX OFFENRS. "AT LEAST THAT TYPE OF PRISONER ISN'T TERTED G TROUBLE. THEY WEREN'T VLENT," HE SAID.ANGELA ADD: "WHEN WE WERE RELEASED AND ME HOME, WE FOUND WE ULDN'T MAKE ANY CISNS. WE WERE STUTNALISED.""WE ULDN'T EVEN CI WHAT WE WANTED TO EAT. WE'VE GOT BETTER NOW BUT THE FIRST TIME WE WENT TO A SUPERMARKET AFTER GETTG OUT, OUR TROLLEY WAS JT A MOUNTA OF STUFF. WE ULDN'T GET OVER THE CHOICE."BUT SHE SAID TRIPS OUT WERE RARE FOR MANY MONTHS AS HER NFINCE H ROCK BOTTOM."HOLDG MY HEAD UP WAS NOT DIFFICULT BEE I'D DONE NOTHG WRONG BUT I ULDN'T LOOK AT ANYONE. AT MERRY HILL, I'D JT LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD. I WAS NVCED PEOPLE WERE LOOKG AT ME. IN ONE SHOP, A WOMAN SAID, 'DON'T I KNOW YOU?'. I JT OZE AND KEPT SAYG, 'NO, YOU DON'T'."BUT THEIR ORAL HAS ALSO HAD SOME POSIVE EFFECTS. THEY SAY HAS MA THEM APPRECIATE WHAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT LIFE.ANGELA SAID: "PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO HAVE THE LATT PLAYSTATN, OR THE BIGGT TELLY. BUT I SURVIVED PRISON WH ONE CUP, ONE PLATE, A FORK, A SPOON, TEA BAGS AND A JAR OF FFEE."BOTH HAVE NOTHG BUT PRAISE FOR THE STEADFAST SUPPORT OF THEIR FAI, PECIALLY ANGELA'S BROTHER CARL SWA, WHO LED THEIR MPAIGN FOR JTICE, AND HER MOTHER MARGARET SWA."I'D RG MUM OM PRISON FOR A CRY," SAID ANGELA. "I REFED UNSELLG THERE BEE I HAD MY FAY. I SPOKE TO MUM A UPLE OF TIM A DAY, WROTE EVERY DAY, AND THERE WERE REGULAR VISS. THEY'D LISTEN AND KEEP STRONG. OUR FAI HAVE SUFFERED AS WELL. THEIR LIV HAVE BEEN ON HOLD, TOO."THEIR OWN RELATNSHIP HAS ALSO STOOD UP TO THE TT. STROKG IAN'S LEGS, ANGELA SAID: "THERE WAS NEVER ANY DOUBT. OUR RELATNSHIP GREW STRONGER." IAN ADD: "THERE WILL ONLY EVER BE ONE PERSON WHO N FULLY UNRSTAND WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH."AS FOR THE FUTURE, THEY HOPE TO FD WORK AGA, GET BACK TO A HAPPY HUMDM OF A DAILY ROUTE, AND THEN WHO KNOWS?THEY CERTALY STILL FEEL BTERNS TOWARDS THE POLICE, SANDWELL SOCIAL SERVIC AND PARTS OF THE JTICE SYSTEM. "WE WERE SPEGOATS," SAID IAN. BUT NOW, AT LEAST, THEY FEEL ABLE TO MOVE ON WH THEIR LIV.ANGELA SAID: "CHRISTIAN'S ATH WAS SUCH A LONG TIME AGO. IT'S OVER FOUR YEARS SCE WE'VE HAD A NORMAL LIFE AND 'S ONLY NOW THAT WE N MOVE FORWARD."WE'LL NEVER BE THE SAME PEOPLE BUT PERHAPS NOW OTHERS WILL UNRSTAND THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN BEE WE WERE WELL-OFF AND WANTED THE PERFECT FAY. THIS TERRIBLE TRAGEDY ULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYONE."NEWSLOL HUBSSANDWELLDUDLEYMOST READ

The Gays had not tend to kill Christian or to e him really ser harm, the prosecutn said, but any reasonable person their posn would have realised that their actns would e was the send time Mr and Mrs Gay were tried nnectn wh Christian's ath. A uple found guilty of killg a three-year-old boy they were planng to adopt were today jailed for five years and Angela Gay were cleared of murrg Christian Blewt but were nvicted of the manslghter of the youngster, who died of a head jury and was found to have excs levels of salt his blood.

The prosecutn claimed the married uple, of Halowen, Wt Midlands, force fed Christian up to four teaspoons of salt as a jury at Worcter crown urt had heard durg a seven week trial that the Gays were keen to adopt and had been allowed to take Christian, his one-year-old brother and their baby sister for a 13-week trial November 2002. The children had been put up for adoptn by Sandwell social servic after Christian was ially fostered and an attempt to rne the fay wh their natural mother unr 24-hour supervisn sentencg, Mr Jtice Pchers said the Gays were able to monstrate on an tellectual level that they unrstood what was required to be parents and were "telligent enough" to give the imprsn to social servic that they would be proper rers. "The judge said there uld be no cricism of social servic for placg the children wh the Gays.

He said that spe the boy's difficult start life, his foster parents had given him "excellent re" but, not long after, Ian Gay was telephong social servic llg Christian a "vegetable" and a "zombie" was "que extraordary" to scribe a three-year-old child this way, he said, as was Angela Gay's cisn to return to work not long after Christian and his siblgs arrived on their placements. "In migatn, Roger Smh QC, for Ian Gay, told the urt that the admisterg of salt was done "spontaneoly", sayg: "He set out on the adoptn procs wh every good tentn and... No one, least of all Ian Gay, realised the awome task they were takg on.

"The events and their nsequenc are tly disastro for Ian Gay and ed his fay and the fay of his wife. "Christopher Hotten QC, for Angela Gay, said his client had faced the prospect of a murr charge for more than two years on the basis that they had beaten Christian to ath.