Neighbours' anger at abuse death

Three people admitted involvement in Mr Gale's death

The neighbour of a man who was beaten and starved to death in Leicester has criticised the authorities for not doing enough to help him.

Stephen Gale, 28, who had learning difficulties, was abused by his housemate Andrew Green whilst living on Mowmacre Hill estate.

Green was jailed for 22 years and nine months after admitting murder.

Leicester social services said they had no legal right to intervene because Mr Gale said he did not want help.

'Shouting and screaming'

By the time he died in October 2006, he had been starved to less than six stone.

Melanie Garner who lived below the victim said she heard shouting and screaming from the flat two to three times a week.

"We rang the social services, they came out but nothing was done, nothing got resolved.

"Surely they could see that he wasn't right. He was just skin and bone, clothes hung off him," she said.

A social services spokesperson said they had assessed Steven, who said he did not want help, and judged him capable of looking after himself.

'Cries for help'

Deborah Kitson, director of the Ann Craft Trust, which works to protect adults with learning disabilities, said there was little more the authorities could do.

"What went wrong for Steven was that when he made cries for help, when the agencies police and social services responded, he insisted that he was happy where he was he and wanted to stay there.

"Currently there is very little that can be done if the adult makes that choice."

Green's 31-year-old wife Claudette and Lisa Smith, 27, who lived at the flat both admitted perverting the course of justice and were given supervision orders.