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Islington Tribune - by CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 18 January 2008

Rock Street Hostel

Probe into latest hostel death

THE death of a man at a Finsbury Park hostel on New Year’s Day is being investigated by the Town Hall.
David Englefield, 42, died at a supported tenancies block for people with housing needs in Rock Street.
He had been drinking with a friend who found him dead the next morning, a St Pancras inquest has heard. It was told he was the second man to die at the block in six months.
Mr Englefield’s death is not being treated as suspicious
The Rock Street block, run by Precious Homes, a private care firm, is home to 15 people with learning difficulties and mental health needs.
Precious Homes director Mitesh Dhanak said his company had launched its own investigation into the death and was co-operating with the council’s and coroner’s inquiries. He added: “The clients resident at Rock Street are not detained under the Mental Health Act and are free to come and go as they please.”
Lib Dem social services chief Councillor John Gilbert said: “Until we have received the post-mortem report on cause of death and completed our investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment.”
Mohammed Miah, 31, was found dead at his girlfriend’s flat at the Rock Street block in July last year. St Pancras coroner Dr Andrew Reid ruled that he died “as a result of drug abuse in the context of ongoing mental or psychiatric illness”.
The hostel came under fire last year after staff allowed a woman identified as vulnerable to sexual exploitation to move into the flat of a drug addict twice her age. Natasha Hilton, 31, died of a drug overdose days later.
After her inquest, Miss Hilton’s family, who live in Blackstock Road, Finsbury Park, criticised staff for not informing them of her movements.

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