Tragic story of a schoolboy who became a killer at 17 after being recruited by drug dealers is being used to teach NHS staff how to spot youngsters being preyed on by gangs
- The story of Kieran Hayward will be used to teach doctors about drugs gangs
- Mother Andrea described he was just 13 when he descended into drug dealing
- Hayward went on to stab addict Daniel Saunders to death in an Ipswich alleyway
It is the chilling tale of a lost boy who fell into the clutches of a ruthless county lines gang.
But now the scandal of how a happy teenager became a killer aged 17 is to be used to teach doctors about the menace of drugs gangs.
Last month Andrea Hayward revealed in the Daily Mail the heart-wrenching story of how she battled to save her son Kieran when he descended into drug dealing at the age of 13.
The affectionate teenager came from a loving and hardworking family and grew up in a cul-de-sac in the affluent town of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.
The story of happy teenager-turned- hardened drug dealer and killer Kieran Hayward (pictured), from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, will now be used to teach doctors about the menace of drugs gangs
But he became a hardened drug dealer who sold crack cocaine from Premier Inn hotel rooms after being forced out of his school for selling cannabis.
The teenager was left at the mercy of a ruthless county lines gang after being given just six hours of online tuition a week.
Months later, Kieran stabbed addict Daniel Saunders to death in an Ipswich alleyway in a petty row over drugs and was sentenced to life imprisonment.
Now the shocking case is to be used by Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Trust to train doctors, nurses and hospital staff how to spot youngsters, from all walks of life, who are at risk of falling prey to gangs.
While Kieran was being groomed by dealers, he was attacked by an addict who sprayed him with ammonia.
Last month mother Andrea Hayward (pictured with Kieran aged 13) described how her son descended into drug dealing when he was just 13
Kieran, then 16, was taken to A&E by his parents, claiming he had accidentally sprayed household cleaner on himself.
Such injuries are among the tell-tale signs that doctors and nurses are being told to look out for in children who are falling prey to organised crime.
The initiative has been welcomed by Kieran’s mother Andrea. She said: ‘If something good can come out of the situation that’s all we could hope for.’
Iryna Pona, of The Children’s Society, said: ‘It’s so important to raise awareness among health staff so they can spot the signs of criminal exploitation. Any child can be at risk.’
Pictured: A weapon that was seized from Hayward when he was arrested. It is unclear if this was the murder weapon