Inquiry into baby's drug exposure death set for January 2027

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) will examine the death of a three-month-old baby, Olly-James Sievwright, who died in hospital on December 22, 2019, after being exposed to mephedrone at his home in Sandhaven, Aberdeenshire. He suffered from peritonitis.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) had previously lodged a first notice to begin the court process for the FAI, which follows the prosecution and conviction of his mother, Amy Beck, for ill-treating and exposing Olly-James to controlled drugs.

The inquiry aims to explore the circumstances of the infant’s death and assess the adequacy of the care provided to both Beck and Olly-James by NHS Grampian and the Aberdeenshire social work department.

A continued preliminary hearing was held at Peterhead Sheriff Court on Wednesday. Lynsey Rodger, for the Crown, stated that while some additional information had emerged, requiring a police investigation into its impact on Beck's conviction, it was not expected to cause significant delay to the FAI. Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald scheduled the next continued preliminary hearing for January 20, 2027.