Homeless man's death referred to Northamptonshire adult safeguarding board by police

Northamptonshire Police Chief Constable Nick Adderley has confirmed that Jonathan Upex’s death will be referred to the Northamptonshire Safeguarding Adults board.

Mr Upex, 46, was found on New Year's Eve by a social worker and a member of staff from the Euro Hotel, where he had been put up by East Northamptonshire Council.

Before that he had been sleeping on the streets in Wellingborough and also had used the Rushden night shelter.

In a letter to Wendy Steele, a friend of Jonathan’s who says he was let down by the authorities, the chief constable said: “Following your concerns, I asked Detective Chief Inspector Andy Glenn who is head of Adult Safeguarding, Protecting Vulnerable Persons to look into this matter.

“DCI Glenn has reassured me that this case will be referred to the Safeguarding Adults Board, scheduled for Tuesday 4 February 2020.”

On Tuesday (January 14) coroner Anne Pember also wrote to Wendy Steele to say she was awaiting the results of a post-mortem examination.

Jonathan’s mother Sheila Upex has welcomed the referral as she says he was let down by the authorities during his life.

The safeguarding board will decide whether to carry out a Serious Case Review into Jonathan’s death.

Serious Case Reviews are carried out into the death of a vulnerable person when there is cause for concern about how agencies worked to help and protect them. Their role is to learn lessons so that similar deaths do not happen in the future.

Jonathan’s death follows that of John Holland who died in Corby in October 2018 after sleeping rough and another Wellingborough man who died in December 2018.

Mr Upex’s funeral is being held on Monday, January 27, at the Kettering Crematorium at midday.