Bristol homeless hostel accused of failing residents

Keith Mahoney said his son George (pictured) died "alone" at Wick House with "nobody there to support him"

A charity which runs a supported hostel for homeless people has been accused of failing its residents.

It follows the death of George Mahoney, who died from alcohol misuse at Wick House in Brislington, Bristol in 2016.

Keith Mahoney said his son died "alone" with "nobody there to support him". Phil Hibberd, who worked at the hostel, said care was "barely on the agenda".

The charity which runs the hostel said it was proud of the service it offered in "very challenging conditions".

Set up in 2010, Bristol Sheltered Accommodation and Support (BSAS) runs two sheltered accommodations including the 87-bed Wick House.

It claims to offer advice and support to residents at "all possible times", while charging £160 per week in housing benefit to stay there.

But Mr Mahoney, said his son - who had problems with alcohol - had been "left to flounder without real support".

He was found lying dead in a pool of blood in his room, aged 32.

BSAS, which runs the hostel, said its rooms "meet set standards of size and quality" and its staff "are appropriately trained"

Mr Mahoney said the staff seemed unqualified and it had been "enormously difficult" finding out what happened to his son.

"George was expecting a much more supportive regime but he died before making the progress he wanted to make," he said.

"We know he was alone and there was no-one there to support him, but what the actual circumstances were we still don't know."

Mr Hibberd, who worked at the hostel while Mr Mahoney was staying there, was on duty the night his body was discovered.

'Vulnerable people'

He said Wick House was "not a wholesome environment".

"The people there are either very vulnerable and need more help than Wick House gives them, or they are not very vulnerable and spend their time preying on people who are.

"They [Wick House] don't see themselves as providing care, they see themselves as a house of multiple occupancy."

A police investigation into Mr Mahoney's death later concluded it was not suspicious.

No inquest was held as the post-mortem examination revealed his death was alcohol related.

'Room only'

Bristol City Council, said the hostel had been inspected and was safe but it had carried out a review of the "level of support" it provided.

"[We] found some tenants were only receiving minimal or no support and essentially provided a room only," a spokesman said.

"Our homelessness services do not place anyone in Wick House."

But BSAS said its rooms "meet set standards of size and quality", staff "are appropriately trained" and residents with "complex challenges" are sign-posted to specialist agencies.

It added it was "proud of the important service that it offers in very challenging conditions".

Watch the full story on Inside Out West on BBC One in the West of England on Monday 1 October at 19:30 BST and afterwards on the BBC iPlayer.