Two-year-old boy died as a result of mould-infested flat ‘unfit for human habitation’
A two-year-old boy died as a result of extensive mould in his flat, which a surveyor described as “unfit for human habitation”, an inquest has concluded.
Awaab Ishak died shortly after his second birthday on 21 December 2020.
Coroner Joanne Kearsley found that he “died as a result of a severe respiratory condition caused due to prolonged exposure to mould in his home environment” and “action to treat and prevent the mould was not taken”.
Describing the property, on Rochdale’s Freehold estate, the coroner said it “had inadequate ventilation and was not equipped for normal day to day living activities which led to excess damp and condensation”.
She concluded the hearing by saying: “How does this happen? How in the UK in 2020 does a two-year-old child die due to exposure to mould?
“This issue is not simply a Rochdale problem, nor is damp and mould simply a social housing problem, it is a significant issue in private sector too.
“There is little doubt that the tragic death of Awaab Ishak will and should be a defining moment for the housing sector.”
Fungi found in lungs and blood
Awaab was rushed to hospital on 19 December after struggling to breathe but was discharged the following morning, the coroner was told.
But he returned the next day and died after suffering a cardiac arrest brought on by respiratory failure.
His throat, windpipe and other airways were so swollen and congested breathing would have been made difficult, Dr Phillip Lumb, who carried out Awaab’s post-mortem examination, said.
Fungus was found in Awaab’s blood and lungs, with such severe inflammation suggesting an allergic reaction to it, he said.
He gave cause of death as “environmental mould pollution”.
Professor Malcolm Richardson, a mould and fungi expert, supported these findings, saying there had been “extensive mould” on the walls and ceilings of the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom for “some considerable time”.
Awaab Ishak on his second birthday
‘Happy, smiley baby’
Awaab’s father Faisal Abdullah arrived in the UK as an asylum seeker from Sudan in July 2015 before his wife Aisha Amin joined him in February 2018, the inquest heard.
Awaab was born prematurely and suffered repeated bouts of colds and viral respiratory infections in his short life, but he was otherwise healthy and concerns were always flagged to medical professionals, the hearing was told.
His first health visitor described him as a “happy, smiley baby”.
Mr Abdullah moved to the flat, owned and managed by Rochdale Boroughwide Housing, in August 2016.
He noticed “black dots” of mould in the kitchen in October 2017 and was told to “paint over it” by property managers.
It had returned by October 2018 and by May 2019 Mr Abdullah was making frequent complaints and had asked to move home, the coroner was told.
Mother said ‘disgusting’ flat made her feel sad
Giving evidence, his wife said: “When anyone came to the flat they said it was disgusting and I felt sad about it. I would rather visit my friends than have people visit the flat.”
Mr Abdullah pursued legal action and his case was picked up by Anthony Hodari Solicitors in June 2020.
The housing association said that despite complaints it was its policy not to do work to a property that was subject to a legal complaint until it had been approved by solicitors.
Daniel McVey, a surveyor at Rochdale Council, who visited the flat, said it was “unfit for human habitation”.
Greater Manchester Police also told the inquest several properties on the same estate had damp and mould, but they did not meet the evidence threshold for criminal proceedings against the housing association for gross negligence manslaughter or corporate manslaughter.
Asked to describe conditions across social housing, Prof Richardson said that 50% of properties suffer mould and that the overall situation was “dire”.
The coroner concluded: “I find as a matter of fact that the development of Awaab’s severe respiratory condition, which led to him going into respiratory arrest, was entirely due to the prolonged exposure he had to mould in his home environment.”
A Romanian grooming gang has been convicted of sexually exploiting 10 vulnerable women in Dundee.
Four men and one woman were found guilty of dozens of offences – including rape – following an extensive investigation into sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and the supply of drugs in the Tayside area.
Marian Cumpanasoiu, 37, Remus Stan, 34, Catalin Dobre, 44, Cristian Urlateanu, 41, and Alexandra Bugonea, 34, denied any wrongdoing but on Thursday were convicted following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Detective Inspector Scott Carswell branded the offenders “deplorable” in an interview with Sky News’ Scotland correspondent, Connor Gillies.
The detective said the gang plied the women with alcohol and free Class A drugs at parties before coercing them into sexual activity, “which a lot of them didn’t want to do”.
He said: “But as things progressed, they were so addicted to the drugs that they knew the only way they could get the drugs was to perform the sexual acts that they were having to get involved in.”
Detective Inspector Scott Carswell
DI Carswell said the gang got the women addicted to drugs in a bid to control them and keep them coming back for more.
He added: “They’ve had no thought as to the impact this is having on the victims. It’s been quite controlled in that they knew what they were doing.”
The gang will be sentenced at a later date.
Police Scotland said the offenders were arrested and charged as part of Operation Recloir, which was launched in late 2021 to target a gang of suspected human traffickers in the Tayside area.
DI Carswell said the inquiry initially focused on brothel-keeping in Dundee and the suspected trafficking of Romanian females into the country.
He added: “However, into the summer of 2022 we started to receive information that the crime group were targeting vulnerable Dundee females, and it looked like they were grooming them and coercing them with gifts of free drugs and other things until it moved on to the victims having to get involved in sexual activity to get the free drugs.
“And unfortunately, this got them addicted to the class A drugs that had been provided.”
DI Carswell said many of the victims identified believed they were the girlfriends of the men involved and did not realise they were being “groomed and used”.
The detective said the women were looking to be “cared for”, noting: “However, I believe that the end goal here was to groom the females and possibly move them into prostitution.”
Read more from Sky News:
Timeline of the grooming gangs scandal
Grooming gangs are ‘in every single part of our country’
DI Carswell said it was important to build up the victims’ “trust and confidence” in order to get them to engage with the force.
He said: “That did take a lot of patience, and it was something that I was passionate about with my inquiry team from the start.”
DI Carswell added work remains ongoing to ensure the women’s welfare and long-term safeguarding.
The detective believes his team identified all the victims, but not everyone wished to engage with the inquiry.
DI Carswell added: “What I would say to them is even at this time if they don’t want to engage with the police, the support’s always there if they need help with anything on the back of this.”
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