Grandfather speaks out over mercy killing of Jacob Wragg (From The Argus)

Grandfather speaks out over mercy killing of Jacob Wragg

11:04am Monday 5th October 2009 in News By Paul Holden

The grandfather of terminally ill Jacob Wragg, who was smothered by his dad in a mercy killing, has admitted: “I still weep for this lovely little boy.”

Bob Wragg spent two years writing Jacob’s Ladder, a book about the life and death of Hunter syndrome sufferer Jacob.

The case made global headlines when Jacob’s father Andy, a former soldier in the SAS, was charged with murder after smothering his ten-year-old son at their Worthing home in 2004.

Bob, 68, from Worthing, told The Argus in an exclusive interview: “Even now it is difficult for me to read the book without shedding a few tears. But the little lad should be remembered.

“The first part of the book is harrowing, but a lot of it is also happy. Jacob could only do happy. He couldn’t be sad, even though he was suffering.

“We had some great times and great memories and that’s really what the book is about. We fully expected Jacob to die fairly soon from this rare genetic disease.

“If that had happened we would have been able to grieve and move on.

“Our problem was we also had the worry of Andy facing the possibility of life in prison, so grieving, in a way, was put on hold.”

Bob added: “It was extremely emotional writing the book and at times I had to break off, but it was also very therapeutic.

“I have had a good reaction from everybody who has read it. People do find it difficult to read the first chapter because it’s quite harrowing.

“But the whole thing is a memorial to Jacob and the effect he had on everybody’s lives.

“It is very much the grandparents’ story and Andy has no problems with it. He thinks it’s a good record of what happened.”

Bob, who did not condemn or condone Andy for smothering Jacob, said the book explored moral issues surrounding the case, including child euthanasia.