An out-of-work carpenter hanged himself after his

An out-of-work carpenter hanged himself after his bungling local authority sent him a summons for not paying his council tax, an inquest heard today.

(TUES)

The leader of Southwark Council sent a letter of grovelling apology to George Hilleard’s family acknowledging a failure of duty after his suicide.

Mr Hilleard’s body was found hanging with a length of wire round his neck days after they sent the demand out the summons on January 11 this year.

His sister-in-law Mrs Suzanne Hilleard found the 54-year-old’s lifeless body when she peered through the letterbox of his home.

And the authority leader Stephanie Elsy said ‘it was clear the council failed in its duty’ in a letter to the deceased’s family.

But after the hearing Mr Hilleard’s brother-in-law, Albert Capper, of Lancing, Sussex, said the council only apologised ‘after the game was up.

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PC Paul Gardener told Southwark Coroner’s Court he went to Mr Hilleard’s home at (39) Otford House, Staple Street, Southwark and broke the door down on 16 January this year.

PC Gardener said: ‘He was in the doorway between the kitchen and hall.

He appeared to be standing there.

‘He was on his tip toes.

He appeared to be hanging from a pipe above the ceiling by some wire.

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And he said the dead man had a kitchen chair by his side and was ‘holding a grey blanket in his hands.

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A suicide note was found covered in sums on a coffee table.

The note was not read out, but it was described as ‘a letter of farewell and apology.

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Suzanne Hilleard, who lived near her brother said that after his death she found a summons for
non-payment of council tax among his papers.

‘That summons had in fact been issued in error.

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The coroner Selena Lynch read out a letter from the leader of Southwark Council in March to Mr Capper.

The coroner said it was unusual in this ‘rather defensive society’ that people ever accept blame.

But it read: ‘Please accept my sincere apologies and heartfelt regret at the part Southwark Council seem to have had in the events regarding your brother’s
death.

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In the letter Miss Elsy said there was no explanation for why Mr Hilleard had received a summons as he was on job-seekers allowance.

‘I’m appalled that such a thing can happen and I’ll do everything in my power to prevent it happening again.

‘I’ve no intention of hiding from the consequences.

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because it is clear the council failed in its duty to your brother in law.

‘I hope that in apologising on behalf of the council, you and your wife can find some comfort,’ the letter went on.

Recording a verdict of suicide, the coroner said Mr Hilleard was someone ‘who thought his glass was half empty rather than half full.

‘I’m satisfied he did make a choice against a background of depression.

The coroner said that he probably died between January 13 and 14.

‘I’m going to record simply that he killed himself,’ she added.

ends
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