"It appears that something has gone very wrong here.”

Robert Bracegirdle, 75, disappeared from his home in Goole in 2020 after struggling with mental health issues. A police search failed to find him and a coroner later ruled that he had died by drowning in the nearby River Ouse. His next of kin were forbidden access to his flat by East Riding council which promised to store his possessions until he was officially declared dead. However, when an inquest was held two years after his disappearance, the family discovered that the contents of his flat had been disposed of.

That's the sort of local council 'efficiency' we've come to expect... 

According to the housing law specialist Giles Peaker, partner of Anthony Gold Solicitors, relatives of council tenants who die without having made a will usually have to wait for a grant of probate before they can enter a property. However, in Bracegirdle’s case, probate could not be applied for until he was officially declared dead two years later, by which time his property had been disposed of. “Under the Tort (Interference with Goods) Act 1977 the council would have to keep the deceased tenant’s belongings secure and serve a notice on the administrator, executor and/or on the public trustee requiring collection of the belongings before disposing of them.” Peaker said.

And if they fail to follow that, never mind, the taxpayer will pick up the bill! Small comfort that will be to the bereaved relatives.... 

“The council told us that we were not allowed to enter the flat and remove any items because my uncle could not give permission,” said his niece, Charlotte Bracegirdle.“It said that once it had repossessed the property through the courts, it would take a full inventory of the contents and put them into storage until an inquest. My mum contacted them when an inquest date was set and received a two-line email, which didn’t even address her by name, stating that the contents had been disposed of as is ‘standard procedure’ when a property has stood empty for a long period. We suspect some of the more high-value items may have been sold.”

Shouldn't the police be involved then, as surely that's both theft and malfeasance in public office? 

East Riding council declined to respond to questions about when and how Bracegirdle’s belongings were disposed of. It said in a statement: “The council offers our deepest condolences, and regrets that the council’s actions caused distress at a difficult time for Mr Bracegirdle’s family. We acknowledge, now and at the time, that matters should have been dealt in a more sympathetic way. In response to the concerns that the family members have raised, we have changed our processes to ensure that similar cases are managed in a more sensitive way. This case is currently being dealt with by our insurers so we cannot comment in more detail at this time.”

How many other councils are doing this, I wonder? It's just another reason to ensure you have made a will. 

Sums Up The NHS To A 'T', Doesn't It?

A woman who suffered a miscarriage has been fined by the NHS for claiming a free prescription during her pregnancy.

Wait, what? 

Sadie Hawkes lost her baby before she had received the maternity exemption certificate that entitled her to free prescriptions throughout her pregnancy and the first year after birth. She has now been sent a demand for £56.10 for medication issued the week before her miscarriage. She’s been told that she can’t apply for a certificate retrospectively as she is no longer pregnant.

/facepalm 

Hawkes is one of thousands of women in England to have fallen foul of NHS red tape which penalises patients who qualify for free prescriptions because of a medical condition or pregnancy, but who have not yet been registered for, or have failed to show, an exemption certificate.

And they will pursue them to the ends of the earth, unlike other debts... 

“The PCN [penalty charge notice] arrived on a day when I was feeling particularly ill and low [after] the miscarriage,” the 33-year-old veterinary nurse said. “It made me feel like a fraudster. I immediately called the NHSBSA and explained the circumstances to a robotic woman with zero compassion who said I was no longer eligible for a certificate because I was no longer pregnant. I was told the fine, but not the prescription charge, could only be waived if I got proof of pregnancy from my GP. That was really distressing to have to do, and made me feel I wasn’t being believed. It was the worst phone call of my life.”

Maybe move these robots onto the foreigner's debt department where they can perhaps do some good?

What's The Point Of The ICO...?

The blunder happened when a recording app, which automatically records all calls, was rolled out in 2017. It was downloaded by 1,024 employees – many unaware their phones were logging calls. The app was supposed to be used as recording software by a small number of hostage negotiators to support kidnap and crisis negotiations.

But both forces chose to make it available for all staff to download on their work phones in 2017, which meant they continued to automatically record conversations for almost four years.

Yesterday the watchdog said it was highly likely that the app captured a large variety of personal data during these calls and the processing of some of this data was 'unfair and unlawful'.

So, a million pound fine is in the offing. But... 

Stephen Bonner, ICO Deputy Commissioner, said: 'Sussex Police and Surrey Police failed to use people's personal data lawfully by recording hundreds of thousands of phone calls without their knowledge.

'The reprimand reflects the use of the ICO's wider powers towards the public sector as large fines could lead to reduced budgets for the provision of vital services.

'This case highlights why the ICO is pursuing a different approach, as fining Surrey Police and Sussex Police risks impacting the victims of crime in the area once again.'

So, basically, if you're in the public sector, you can get away with anything? 

This Wasn't The First Time...

The 58-year-old paramedic can be seen casually strolling up towards a side table where the cash was placed, before rummaging through her things and pocketing the money.

When he realised he'd been filmed, Mark Titley quickly put the cash back - but the victim's son saw what he had done and said it made him 'sick to his stomach'.

He's done this before. and got away with it, I'll bet. In the days before the proliferation of cameras, probably many times. 

The 58-year-old was one of four medics called to the woman's home in Shrewsbury on June 29 last year, following reports she had collapsed in the garden. They worked on her for about 20 minutes before she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Shrewsbury Crown Court was told Titley then entered the property in search of a 'do not resuscitate' form.

To cover what they'd done in pronouncing her?  

Titley initially denied the allegation, telling police he intended to 'secure' the cash and take it out to family members.

Sure, that's why he spotted the camera and put it back. Even modern cops aren't that naive! 

However, he later admitted theft and was given an 18-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to carry out 120 hours unpaid work and pay £530 costs and a £187 victim surcharge.

Can we at least be certain he can kiss goodbye to his public sector pension? 

The court heard Titley, of Linley Avenue, Pontesbury, was no longer a serving paramedic, having retired from West Midlands Ambulance Service days after the incident.

*sighs* 

That Definition Of Madness Again...

A pre-inquest review hearing was today (Monday, March 27) held at Bolton Coroner's Court.

The hearing was told that there was still some evidence yet to be submitted in the case. And Emily's father Mark Jones said: "I just find the process very frustrating. Deadlines are set and are never adhered to. It's like groundhog day coming her all the time."

Mr Jones made the comment after correspondence he sent to the coroner's office airing his frustration was referred to by the coroner.

Understandably so. And how did the coroner deal with it? 

Senior Coroner Timothy Brennand said to Mr Jones: "I am sorry you saw fit to communicate in those very clear and upsetting terms."

Yes, I just bet you are... 

He added that he wanted to address Mr Jones' concerns as he didn't want him to feel there were 'in any way being swept under the carpet'.

He already feels like that, and it's no surprise... 

He said the coroner's service always tried to work 'collaboratively with families' and to 'manage expectations' however he said Mr Jones had made it clear that in his case he did not feel they were being met.

"All I can do is apologise," Mr Brennand continued. "Your experience is your experience and I am not going to in any way quibble with it."

Because you can't. So...how are you going to deal with his belief that the case is being delayed unnecessarily by people who don't adhere to deadlines? 

Mr Brennand set deadlines for the disclosure of remaining evidence and legal submissions ahead of the inquest at the short hearing.

*sighs* 

You Know What To Do Next Time...

Ashitha Nagesh has taken to Twitter to talk about how the accident caused a broken humerus (upper arm), which left her needing surgery.

Initially, a passer-by called 999, but left the reference number with the cyclist who hit Ashitha.

After the passer-by left the scene in Walthamstow, Ashitha was told to get in an Uber by the cyclist and went away to hospital without getting the cyclist's full details as she "wasn't thinking straight" and "wanted to get to A&E" as soon as possible.

Nobody called an ambulance because, well, they don't turn up any more... 

Ashitha is now appealing to the public for help after the Met Police has allegedly told her that they won't investigate the incident as "no one called the police at the scene".

However, they have apparently told Ashitha they will investigate if they get enough information about the cyclist from her.

At this stage, I'm only surprised A&E didn't ask her to splint her own broken arm. Does any emergency service do their job any more? 

The BBC News correspondent wrote on Twitter: "So this is a plea, on the off-chance anyone on here saw what happened or knows the guy who hit me last Thursday (Markhouse Road, E17, about 10.20), or saw him in the Co-op there, to please DM me!

"I asked the cyclists for their details and unfortunately all they told me was that their names were Joe and Sam. Don’t know if these are their real names but both are blonde, and the guy who hit me had a short beard. He also smelled [very] strongly of alcohol."

See, if you're a news correspondent, you should be well aware that to get the police on the case, what you should have done was claim the cyclist sexually abused you. Or racially abused you. Or if you wanted black marias and helicopters, misgendered you! 

The Real Cost Of Lack Of Consequences...

Smart motorways in their current format were signed off by then Tory transport minister Sir Mike Penning at the beginning of last decade.

However, he has always maintained he was misled about the risks of turning the hard shoulder into a live lane of traffic.

He also claims they don't resemble the designs he signed off and that Highways England has 'casually ignored the commitments' made to MPs on safety.

And have any civil servants been sacked? Dragged before PAC? Mildly admonished? 

A Department for Transport spokesman (said): 'As soon as the Transport Secretary took office he recognised the concerns around smart motorway safety and commissioned an urgent stocktake of the evidence, which we published a year ago - along with a £500 million, 18-point, action plan to make them safer still.'

Oh. No, of course not. We're just going to be forking over more cash to try to put it right.  

Highways England is facing possible manslaughter charges over the death of Nargis Begum, 62, who died on the M1 smart motorway in Yorkshire in 2018.

Bet that comes to nothing too.