The man at the gate - Part 2

 The 'what happened next...'

Following on from last week, if you've read the blog post from last Tuesday, you'll know that in the summer of 2021 I had an unwanted visitor...

After playing Poirot, I discovered he was the first owner of the house and had sold it on years back. It had been sold a few times before I purchased it. At this point, I started to think that he was just confused!

When he was sent on his way in July 21 he was told if he returned that he would be arrested, therefore I couldn't quite believe it when he came back again in spring last year when nobody was home! Luckily, my neighbour let me know and another neighbour called the police. 

        The man was saying it was his house and that he wanted to gain entry.

Unfortunately, it was PCSOs that arrived and they said (to me) that they didn't have the power to arrest him, and thankfully, he went on his way of his own accord... 

This time, I put my foot down, with regards to safeguarding concerns as, basically, he was living in sheltered housing and was encouraged 'short walks' - not long drives! I pointed out to the officer (that I had been previously given as a contact) that he was buying a new car each time to make the journey - we were able to obtain records of purchase for each car using the number plates.

A welfare team visited and he was assessed as raising many concerns... To my knowledge (they weren't able to tell me everything) he was then place in an EMI style home and not allowed out on his own again.

        Safety had to be a priority - him and ours. He was confused, at times violent (he broke the gate in two different ways on two of the visits) and a danger to those on the roads as well - it was a long journey.

To this day, the 'visits' he made have haunted me as there were points, until I discovered WHO he was/ that he was away safely, that I feared his return... I still think it's the councils fault for discussing his moving date without checking any details - I'd been on the phone to them, using the address, the house wasn't up for rent/sale and they didn't check anything - they just took his word that he was moving in and this made him convinced he was.

    I understand only too well how cruel the ageing brain can be having been witnessed my Nan's dementia decline, but I will never forgive the people at the council for not talking across the departments. If A had spoken to B and B to C and A, it wouldn't have escalated.

Have YOU ever had anything like this happen?