Mental health patient Peter Wood’s body found after 2 weeks

Published: 12th May, 2011
by TOM FOOT

A FORMER mental health patient was found dead in his council flat two weeks after he died.

Peter Wood’s decomposing body was only discovered after police broke down the door to his home in Camden High Street on Good Friday. Neighbours had complained of the smell coming from the flat.

Mr Wood, who was in his 50s and lived alone, was “well known” to Camden Council care services.

The Town Hall confirmed yesterday (Wednesday) that it had cancelled his support package – which included a care worker and home visits – around eight months ago after he appeared to improve. 

“He was not presenting any cause for concern,” a spokeswoman added.

The lingering smell and maggot infestation that was discovered at the property has since been a “horrible reminder” of the tragedy, neighbours said.

Kristine Gogarty, who lives next door, said: “It was the time of the very hot weather so he was quite severely decomposed when found. 

“The council came that day and boarded the doorway up enclosing the bodily fluid and maggots left behind. No one has been to clean his flat and it has been over two weeks. The smell is still awful. 

“We poured Dettol over his doorway and surrounding walls after advice from the police to help get rid of the smell, but now there is a musty Dettol and death smell. It is a horrible reminder every time I enter my home.”

She added: “I have rung the council on three separate occasions and no one has come back to me regarding the cleaning of his flat.”

After the New Journal contacted the council on Tuesday, environment officers fumigated the flat yesterday.

A council spokeswoman said that the delay was due to a problem getting keys to a temporary door set up after the body was found.

She added: “Mr Wood had been well known to Camden’s tenancy support services in recent years and we had supported him through various issues. 

“At the time of his death he had not contacted Camden for more than six months, and he was considered to be managing well and not presenting any cause for concern.

“Following the sad discovery of Mr Wood’s body the property was sealed by the police as a potentially suspicious scene. 

“We were aware of the unpleasant situation for neighbours at the property and were in negotiation with the police to get access, so that our pest control services could clean and fumigate the flat as soon as possible.

“The police were able to release the keys to us this morning [Wednesday] and the flat was fully fumigated. We spoke to the neighbours and explained the reason for the delay.”

Mr Wood, who is said to have no close family in this country, suffered from mental illness but had been discharged two years ago from the care of Camden and Islington Foundation Trust, ac­cording to a spokesman.

The events bear a striking similarity to those that followed Jennyfer Spencer’s death in Gospel Oak in February last year. 

Ms Spencer – who was also known to the council’s care services – was found on the floor of her fifth-floor flat after neighbours alerted police about a smell coming from her home.

The coroner for St Pancras will attempt to establish the cause of Mr Wood’s death at an inquest.

A police spokeswoman said: “We were called to a smell and flies coming through the letter box. 

“We attended at 12.20pm on April 22. 

“The body was confirmed dead there and passed over to the coroners. It was non-suspicious.”