Suitcase death probe slams carers

Heather Wardle told a social worker her son was with his father

A social worker should have been "more assertive" with the mother of a disabled man whose body was later found in a suitcase, an inquest has heard.

James Hughes, 21, was found at his Redditch home in April, days after his mother was found hanged nearby.

Steven Chandler, from Worcestershire's learning disability group, said Mr Hughes' mother Heather Wardle, should have been challenged about her son.

Deputy coroner Margaret Barnard recorded an open verdict.

Tests on Mr Hughes' bones suggested he died between 10 January and 9 February.

Mr Chandler said claims by Ms Wardle that Mr Hughes was with his father should have been checked.

The inquest in Stourport has heard social workers had no contact with Mr Hughes for more than two years before his death.

Had the appropriate guidelines been followed, my beautiful son would still be here today Paul Hughes

Dr Raymond Jones, a social care expert at London's Kingston University, said the county council had "effectively lost sight" of Mr Hughes from 2005 onwards.

Social worker David Ruegg was tasked with following up concerns about Mr Hughes with his mother on 19 December last year, the inquest was told on Tuesday.

He visited their family home in March but Ms Wardle was not in and he went again to the property on 14 April to speak to her.

Mr Ruegg told the hearing he had not seen James on either occasion but had been told by Ms Wardle that her son was staying with his father.

Mr Chandler said on Wednesday the social worker had been told by Ms Wardle that her son would return to a day care centre shortly after he stopped attending it in November last year.

He told the hearing: "Given that he didn't return I would have expected a much more assertive approach to be taken.

"On reflection as a service, a more robust course of action should have been taken by the individual practitioner."

'Seemed happy'

He also said that Worcestershire County Council's failure to hold an annual review of Mr Hughes' care after 2005 constituted a serious error.

But he stressed social services had not been given information suggesting James was being neglected or abused.

He added: "We had a carer - Ms Wardle - who was very involved in James' support... who seemed to be happy with the package of support.

"We established for James a package of support that we felt met his needs - that was day care and respite provided by two different providers.

"All of the feedback - despite the fact that no reviews were held - suggested that package was meeting his needs and meeting the needs of his family."

A post-mortem examination carried out at Sandwell General Hospital failed to establish the cause of Mr Hughes' death.

'Victim of neglect'

In a statement read to the court by the Deputy Coroner, forensic pathologist Helen Whitwell said there was no evidence of "gross injury" to the deceased.

She added it could not be ruled out that he had suffocated while epilepsy could also cause sudden death.

Worcestershire deputy coroner Ms Barnard expressed regret that a number of questions surrounding the death of Mr Hughes, who was severely disabled, remained unanswered.

"There is in my view a paucity of conclusive evidence," she said.

Speaking after the verdict, Mr Hughes' father Paul said he was disappointed.

"I believe that my son was a victim of neglect and a series of circumstances over which I had no control," he said.

"Those who were in a position of trust and who were ultimately responsible for enforcing the procedures which should have safeguarded my son.

"Had the appropriate guidelines, both statutory and non-statutory, been followed, my beautiful son would still be here today."

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James Hughes' father was at the inquest