A 64 year old man with learning difficulties living in Social Housing in Tameside died following an incident of anti social behaviour in March of 2010. The tenant and his family had been the targets of serious harassment and anti social behaviour going back several years. The Independent Police Complaints Commission found a series of systematic errors in handling the case on the part of Police and partner agencies.
On an organisational level the investigation found there had been:
1. A lack of consistent identification of, and response to, the vulnerability factors affecting the Askew family;
2. A total failure to recognise and respond to the incidents as ‘hate crime’;
3. An apparent lack of coordination and cohesive action between partner agencies;
4. A lack of robust offender management
Tameside Adult Safeguarding Partnership carried out a Serious Case Review following the death, and sets out recommendations for agencies tackling anti social behaviour, with a view to learning lessons to improve the safeguarding of vulnerable adults in the future.
The reports come soon after the high profile case of Fiona Pilkington and prior to the Government’s Consultation on More Effective Responses to Anti Social Behaviour closes.
On the ground there seems to be a retreat from partnership working with Police, with some forces now asking partner agencies for conduct money for police evidence, and failing to provide detailed information. This may be budget driven – but the co-ordination and cohesive action required is certainly not happening in some areas.