A HUSBAND who recently lost his wife from complications of receiving contaminated blood says he will not himself touch any compensation, following a government decision to pay compensation.

Richard Marsella, of Ferndown, described the government’s interim compensation pledge of £100,000 each to victims of the contaminated blood scandal as “blood money”, but praised the step as “recognition of wrongdoing”.

Mother of two and grandmother of six Barbara Marsella died in June aged 68 from cancer directly attributable to a blood transfusion she received in 1984.

Husband Richard gave up his job to care for Barbara full time when her health declined in 2017 but received no compensation from the government – only receiving some covering funds from a charity trust.

Bournemouth Echo: Barbara Marsella shortly before her deathBarbara Marsella shortly before her death

Following the government’s recent announcement for payments to be made to surviving victim’s or bereaved partners, Richard told the Echo: “My immediate reaction is thank God for the people who really need it.

“I’m really just more interested in pinpointing what the hell actually went on with the contaminated blood. Why does the government give a thousand words when just one will do?

“It was never about the money for me. It is about a recognition and admitting responsibility in my opinion. The government aren’t paying victims because they’re innocent, they’re paying them because they know they did wrong.”

Health and Social Care secretary Steve Barclay said: “The infected blood scandal should never have happened. We are taking an important step in righting this historic wrong for the thousands of people infected and bereaved partners left behind.”

Bournemouth Echo: Barbara and Richard Marsella of FerndownBarbara and Richard Marsella of Ferndown

While Richard is in line for compensation, he says the money will instead go to his children and grandchildren. “I would feel awful spending that money on myself, I could never do it,” he said.

“It’s like spending blood money – I couldn’t possibly go out on the town knowing what’s happened to Barb and how that money was paid out for her death. Without question it will go into my kids and grandkids because they’re what’s left behind.”

Richard and others have been helped with the legal process by Collins Solicitors. Senior partner Des Collins said while the government decision was “welcome news”, they will continue working to ensure other ‘affected’ victims receive justice. For example children who lost parents, parents who lost children and those who solely cared for now deceased victims.

“Barbara would have been pleased with the outcome,” an emotional Richard concluded. “She’d be pleased that some good came out of it to help her grandchildren.

“She bore no grudges, she held no animosity, she was simply unbelievable.”