nick
April 21st, 2010, 09:43 AM
A body lay undiscovered under a sofa in a sheltered flat in Bristol for nearly 10 years, an inquest has heard.
The dead man, Denis Pring, 73, had been living with a city council tenant Alan Derrick, who has learning difficulties.
The inquest heard Mr Derrick did not want to tell the authorities that Mr Pring had died because he was worried he would be evicted.
The coroner recorded an open verdict into Mr Pring's death at the hearing in Flax Bourton, near Bristol.
Mr Pring, a former warehouseman, is believed to have died at some point between April and June 1998.
The inquest heard that he had been living in the flat unofficially.
Mr Derrick, the dead man's friend and drinking partner, had invited him to stay there because he had nowhere else to go.
But when he died suddenly, Mr Derrick panicked and worried that he might be evicted.
He covered up the body with cushions and two armchairs and carried on living in the flat in Bedminster, Bristol, for the next 10 years without reporting the death.
Neighbours complained to the council about foul smells from the flat but although council officers visited twice the body was never found.
Mr Pring’s skeleton was discovered in January 2008 when cleaners were brought in after Mr Derrick was evicted from the flat following a county court order.
Council officers who visited the flat believed the smell came from the lavatory.
The council said procedures for looking after vulnerable people had now been changed.
The council's deputy chief executive, Jon House, acknowledged a "more active intervention nine or 10 years ago", and a " healthier dose of common sense", miight have led to Mr Pring's body being found earlier.
He said: "I apologise unreservedly both to Mr Pring's family and to the residents of neighbouring homes for the distress they have endured."
Source here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7613090/Body-lay-undiscovered-under-sofa-for-10-years.html)
The dead man, Denis Pring, 73, had been living with a city council tenant Alan Derrick, who has learning difficulties.
The inquest heard Mr Derrick did not want to tell the authorities that Mr Pring had died because he was worried he would be evicted.
The coroner recorded an open verdict into Mr Pring's death at the hearing in Flax Bourton, near Bristol.
Mr Pring, a former warehouseman, is believed to have died at some point between April and June 1998.
The inquest heard that he had been living in the flat unofficially.
Mr Derrick, the dead man's friend and drinking partner, had invited him to stay there because he had nowhere else to go.
But when he died suddenly, Mr Derrick panicked and worried that he might be evicted.
He covered up the body with cushions and two armchairs and carried on living in the flat in Bedminster, Bristol, for the next 10 years without reporting the death.
Neighbours complained to the council about foul smells from the flat but although council officers visited twice the body was never found.
Mr Pring’s skeleton was discovered in January 2008 when cleaners were brought in after Mr Derrick was evicted from the flat following a county court order.
Council officers who visited the flat believed the smell came from the lavatory.
The council said procedures for looking after vulnerable people had now been changed.
The council's deputy chief executive, Jon House, acknowledged a "more active intervention nine or 10 years ago", and a " healthier dose of common sense", miight have led to Mr Pring's body being found earlier.
He said: "I apologise unreservedly both to Mr Pring's family and to the residents of neighbouring homes for the distress they have endured."
Source here (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/7613090/Body-lay-undiscovered-under-sofa-for-10-years.html)