Bristol woman, 75, faces jail over rotting food
A 75-year-old woman has been warned that she faces jail if she continues to hoard rotting food at her Bristol home.
Sheila Lewis appeared before a judge at Bristol County Court yesterday after breaking a High Court injunction ordering her not to keep rotting and stinking food at her home in Springfield Avenue, Shirehampton, seven times.
Bristol City Council has been trying to get Ms Lewis to change her ways for two years after neighbours complained about rats and the smell from the house where rotting food was found in the garden, the porch, in bedrooms, in a landing cupboard, under the sink and in the oven.
The court heard that the council had repeatedly offered to deep clean the house which she owns, as well as home care support and essential repairs but Ms Lewis refused all help.
A psychiatric report on Ms Lewis revealed that she suffers from Diogenes syndrome, also known as senile squalor syndrome, a disorder characterised by extreme self-neglect, domestic squalor, apathy and a tendency to hoard rubbish.
But the psychiatrist said she was "perfectly capable of understanding judicial proceedings" and managing her own affairs.
Ms Lewis, who represented herself in court, had previously admitted breaching the High Court injunction four times and three further breaches were proved against her.
Environmental health officer Matthew Rowe said the main health implication of the storage of rotting food was that it attracted rats which carry the potentially fatal Weil's disease in their urine.
During a visit to the house on August 24 last year, rotting and stinking food was found on top of a fridge, on worktops, in the hallway and in a lean-to at the front of the house.
Environmental health officers found bread and crumpets, bags of rotting meat, fruit pies, tea cakes and also cream cakes. Anti-social behaviour case worker Tania Farrell told the court: "I remember walking in and straight away I was gagging. I was almost sick."
She said Ms Lewis's attitude had hardened and she had refused all help.
When asked about putting food in the landing cupboard, Ms Lewis said: "I put it in there for safety because of the pests and then I forgot."
District Judge Mark Rutherford gave Ms Lewis a seven-day suspended sentence for breaking the injunction and warned her that she would go to jail if she continued to hoard rotting food at her home.
He said: "You have disobeyed a court order on seven occasions. Are you prepared to comply with it in future?"
Ms Lewis replied: "If you say so, yes."
A Bristol City Council spokesman said: "Ms Lewis must understand the serious nature of her anti-social behaviour and the consequences of breaching her court order. We will continue to work with her in any way that we can."
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by Sharon, Bristol
Thursday, October 08 2009, 10:19PM
“I know the people only moved in back in April and I do know the man very well - he is a mechanic. I stand by what I said earlier (now removed and won't say it again...).”
by V, Shirehampton
Thursday, October 08 2009, 9:42PM
“I live in Shirehampton, and used to live in a different street next to the neighbours from hell. This was not in Springfield Avenue, but we had to contend with rotting food, animal feaces, violence and harassment, and we reported it time and time again, we called environmental health to rats, and I was advised by the school nurse not to allow my children near the neighbours house as they had ringworm amongst other things. So what is the difference between our old neighbours and Ms Lewis? Simple poor Ms Lewis (who I can assure you is quite approachable if eccentric) is alone, elderly and an easy target for the POWERFREAKS who would rather lock her away than support her. I'm no psychiatrist but while she is well spoken and appears reasonably educated I do not think she would be able to represent herself, there is medical eveidence or memory loss etc, so she clearly needs help. The problem is help can not be forced on anyone even if they are proved vulnerable(thankyou to the Human Rights Act). I should know, one of my relatives who had dementia was subjected to ASBOs etc in his 70's when in fact he had a medical condition.
If you are between 14-20 and part-take in anti-social behavior you are likely to be found a place on some youth scheme, offered all kinds of incentives and training, and given a diagnoses of ADHD and the expection that society should bend over backwards for you. But heaven forebid you should upset anyone once you are old and alone, for then you will be threatend with jail at best, or sectioned and denied your liberty. For what? Suffering from a degenerative brain condition which should be catered for under health care(not knocking the NHS here they do a great job overall). But don't start me on that subject - why is Dementia classed as a social problem when cancer is a health problem and both are terminal - look it up you'll have a whole new topic to debate here.
Olderr people with emntal health conditions need a louder voice, greater representation, and far more action in terms of their care and welfare. When Councils or Governments say that any elderly person with additiuonal needs should have acces to a social worker they need to fulfil that policy. As a full-time carer for a dementia sufferer now I know how inadequate the services are.”
by Nick, Shirehampton
Thursday, October 08 2009, 11:44AM
“Ok I came across this "comments page" and thought it very interesting reading all of your comments mainly due to the fact that very few of the comments made here were obviously made with no regard to peoples feelings especially made about 89 Springfield Ave. Why do you all seem to get much satisfaction from putting other people down or making unjustified comments about people that you all probably know very little about, more like just from hear say. Why don't you all talk about something useful or do something useful to help each other or someone close to you?? Ah i forget, silly me, most of you probably do not know the meaning of helping one another by the sounds of your comments. Grow up those of you who seem to think it's funny to impale abuse on others. YES YOU MIKE FORD ARE INCLUDED.
Bristol Evening Post, I'm surprised there is little or no moderation in the comments made here? The people in 89 Springfield Ave have not long lived here and already there are unfounded comments which could easily be used in a court of law for slander or defimation of charactor. Maybe if this was a relative of yours you would not be so happy?? I'm sure no doubt I will receive comments from you however I would appreciate if they were constructive comments and not unfounded.”
by Chris, Bristle
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 10:30PM
“Rotten food to Africa?? How sick in the head are you?
Do you know exactly why people are starving? I assume not. Save your mind and find out.”
by steve, N somerset
Wednesday, October 07 2009, 8:38PM
“Nothing to do with this story but someone mentioned Free Trade earlier. Yatton is a Fair Trade Village according to the signs as you enter. What on earth has this got to do with most of the people who actually live there?! Who paid for the signs I wonder?”