A BEREAVED mother said she was 'traumatised' by the latest twist in a battle for justice for her son.

Sara Ryan, whose son Connor Sparrowhawk drowned in an NHS in-patient unit, spoke after the tribunal of a doctor who admitted a string of failures over his death.

The tribunal will decide if Dr Valerie Murphy, who was responsible for the Oxford teenager's care when he died at Slade House in Headington, is fit to continue practising.

But after two weeks hearing evidence, a conclusion from the panel has now been postponed until November.

Dr Ryan said it was 'ludicrous' and 'inhumane' to drag out the process for another three months.

She said: "They should have had the foresight to think 'can we carve out an extra three or four days' [for the tribunal] to be on the safe side. There doesn't seem to be any explanation as to why we have to wait."

18-year-old Connor, who had epilepsy, autism and a learning disability, drowned in a bath at Slade House in July 2013 after having epileptic fit.

His family and friends have fought to hold the NHS to account after the tragedy, which several official reports have since deemed to be preventable.

Dr Murphy's tribunal in Manchester was the latest hurdle in their campaign JusticeforLB (Laughing Boy, Connor's nickname).

She stood accused of dozens of failures of which she admitted 30, including failing to consider the implications of allowing Connor to have a bath on his own and not making comprehensive notes about his condition.

On Friday, the panel agreed another 13 failures of which she stood accused had been proven, though it said scores more had not been proved.

Dr Ryan was grilled for two hours by Dr Murphy's barrister during cross-examination of evidence, which she described as a 'barbaric experience'.

She said: "It was truly traumatising. It was a complete shock and the questions they asked didn't seem to have any bearing [on the tribunal]. It's unspeakable.

"It was so upsetting to revisit it [Connor's death] in micro detail. It's just awful, it brings it all back."

A spokesperson for the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service explained the hearing could not conclude until November, because that is the earliest date the tribunal members are all free.

He said: "We are sorry that this case has been delayed and we know that this has caused distress to Dr Ryan and her family.

"The tribunal of medical and lay people who are hearing this case and the legal teams on both sides are reconvening at the earliest possible date given other commitments. They will be sitting on two weekends."

The hearing will reconvene on November 5 and 6, 11 and 12 and two further dates to be agreed.