WITHAM MP Priti Patel has taken a constituent's fight for justice to the highest echelons of Government.

The Conservative politician met with officials at the Foreign Office to support Silver End resident Marie Heath – whose son Lee was murdered inside a German nightclub in April.

The meeting took place after Mrs Patel had raised the case with the Prime Minister and spoke about the problems the Heath family had encountered.

She said: "Whether crimes are committed at home or abroad, victims and their families should be fully supported.

"The murder of Lee Heath was a terrible crime and I am concerned to see the limited amount of help available."

"In my meeting with officials today and conversations with ministers I have pressed them to ensure that the British authorities do all they can to assist the Heath family in these difficult circumstances."

Mr Heath, a 31-year-old expatriate, was attacked in Frankfurt nightclub U60311 on Easter Monday and died two days later.

Three doormen at the club were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and remain in custody.

When she heard of the attack, Lee's mother, 52-year-old Marie, flew out to be by his side.

She expected him to be simply bruised, but was told when she arrived that he had only a one per cent chance of survival.

Speaking to the Chronicle this week, Mrs Heath said that Mrs Patel had been "a great help" and was really "fighting her corner".

But she criticised the Foreign Office and the British Government for failing to support her and her family in Germany.

"We've had no help from the Government," Mrs Heath said. "We've been left on our own to fend for ourselves."

The main problem, she says, is the lack of information that filters through to her and her family.

Indeed, she has been forced to track her son's case by translating German newspapers using a Google application.

And her daughter Carly was refused emergency papers to travel to Germany to attend the bedside of her dying brother.

According to Mrs Heath, the Foreign Office has systematically failed to provide a family liaison officer or translator to help navigate the German legal system.

She says she has already spent £5,000 on costs and travelling to and from Germany and believes this fee will increase significantly when she attends the upcoming trial with her daughter and other son, Danny.

She has also had to pay £170 to have Lee's death certificate published in English.

"My family have been taxpayers for many years. Our Government should do more to help us," she said.

But instead of letting these obstacles defeat her, Mrs Heath has vowed to fight for the families of crime victims abroad and lobby the German authorities to tighten up the laws governing doormen.

A spokeswoman for Frankfurt Police said: "One of the men, a 35-year-old from Greece, is a boxer.

"He was wearing tactical gloves filled with some hard material, a kind of sand."

The other two suspects are aged 29 and 32. The trio are awaiting trial, which will take place in Germany.

Lee moved to Frankfurt 18 months ago from Hackney to build a new life with his German girlfriend.

He worked for delivery service UPS while he learned the language and built up his handyman business.