“He was let down and we were fobbed off by the care system”.
Those were the words of the family of Bernard Hallas, 84, whose body was found in Longley Woods, Newsome – two months after he disappeared from his Bradley home.
Mr Hallas, who lived alone, suffered from diabetes, dementia, kidney problems and took daily medication. Carers attended four times a day but he was reported missing by his daughter Andrea Gill on December 18 last year.
An inquest in Huddersfield yesterday heard how Mr Hallas’ body was discovered in a ditch by a dog in Longley Woods, Ashenhurst, Newsome, on February 24.
Mr Hallas’ children revealed after the inquest, how they had made requests for their father’s accommodation to be reviewed in October, but nothing had been done – despite him falling the week before he disappeared.
His daughter Elaine Wisniewski said: “He was let down. Unless you know how to play the system you don’t get anything.
“A serious case review is now ongoing so we can’t say anymore.”
The inquest heard that despite a large scale police search and appeals using CCTV images capturing Mr Hallas leaving Huddersfield Bus Station, it was in all likelihood he died in Newsome, within 24 hours of his disappearance.
Coroner Roger Whittaker heard evidence from Det Sgt Nigel Gittins who told the court he was called by uniformed officers to attend Longley Woods on February 24, where he identified Mr Hallas as the deceased.
He said he was satisfied there were no suspicious circumstances.
Det Gittins told how Mr Hallas’s body, clothed in pyjamas, a coat and shoes, was found in a ditch and would not have been spotted from the footpath or the wooded area.
A post mortem found Mr Hallas suffered from dementia, kidney and lung problems.
The cause of death was hypothermia with contributory causes of diabetes and vascular dementia.
Mrs Wisniewski told the court she did not believe her father could have walked from Huddersfield to Newsome the same day he disappeared because it would have been dark.
She said it was ‘out of character’ for her father to be out at night.
Coroner Whittaker agreed with the family and said on the balance of probability Mr Hallas died on December 19, 2012.
He recorded Mr Hallas died as a result of accidental death.
Mr Hallas’ son, Stephen, said after the hearing: “He was a devoted family man. He was proud and independent.”
He is survived by his four children, 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Serious Case Reviews are conducted to establish how organisations and professionals have worked together on a particular case.
The review will be undertaken on behalf of Kirklees Council by a panel of health and social care experts.
