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Dead man in flat is named
12:07pm Friday 9th May 2008
Comments (11)A man found dead in his flat has been named as Anthony Martin.
Martin, 49, was found by neighbours sat on his sofa in his property in Highway Close, Brighton on Sunday.
He had been there for around three weeks and is thought to have died of cancer.
Neighbours discovered him after complaining of a smell and climbing up a ladder to peer into his window.
Brighton and Hove City Council has defended itself over claims the area still smells of Martins' decomposing corpse.
It emerged his property has not been cleaned up since the discovery and neighbours have grown angry at the smell, particularly because children play in the area.
A city council spokeswoman said: "This matter is now with the coroner's office awaiting a verdict on the cause of death.
"Until this is known, the flat is a potential crime scene and council officers or contractors are not able to enter the property to clean up.
"The housing officer for the patch is in regular contact with the coroner's office and will arrange for the cleaning to take place as soon as they are able to allow us to do so.
"In addition, the housing officer has met with residents in the block today, including Mr Williams, and explained this process to them."
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Steve, Brighton says...
3:28pm Fri 9 May 08
Jill Aberdeen wrote:Jill,
What a sad story.Surely the neighbours must have missed seeing him around.After living most of my life in Brighton I know for sure there is no community spirit there
This is at least the second time you have posted a comment on the Argus website today criticising Brighton. It seems ironic as you now live in Hull and seem unable to let Brighton go! Is there nothing happening in Hull??!!
steve, Brighton says...
3:34pm Fri 9 May 08
sm, says...
3:48pm Fri 9 May 08
The CAUSE of death will be established from a post mortem carried out by a pathologist. In this case I would have imagined the COD would need to be determined very quickly to ensure that the flat was NOT a crime scene.
Then the case goes to the coroner to establish circumstances of the death for their 'reports'
The council should have been in there cleaning up the minute the pathologist established that there was no foul play.
Flat Foot Soozie, Brunswick Square says...
3:55pm Fri 9 May 08
Although of course something similar happened among the Clarendon slackers near Hove station. A man there was left for a month until the smell of his body wafted out.
Hugo, Sussex says...
3:58pm Fri 9 May 08
steve wrote:That'll be the same friends and relatives that didn't notice him missing either...
Further to my last comment - my condolences to Mr MARTIN'S friends and relatives.
jay, brighton says...
4:03pm Fri 9 May 08
Jill Aberdeen wrote:Your dead right about the non existant community spirit.
What a sad story.Surely the neighbours must have missed seeing him around.After living most of my life in Brighton I know for sure there is no community spirit there
Is it because of crime,and because a lot of people have an ignorant daily mail induced paranoia of all things not 'normal'? .Try to chat with a local these days and chances are they'll think your after something or about to mug them.
Bit of a 'everyones up to no good' vibe these days.
Or maybe people are just to selfish to take the time to know their neighbours?
I guess lack of community spirit is always gonna be a problem in such a transient place as this ..some people say this old community spirit thing is just a myth anyway ..i dunno,but it'd make life a lot better if we all looked out for each other,I enjoy helping people out,including strangers,but you rarely get a chance to these days.
Tracey, Here says...
5:42pm Fri 9 May 08
Jon, Hove says...
7:34pm Fri 9 May 08
No doubt BHCC have alerted the police to the fact they believe it is a potential crime scene, hence non-cleaning taking place. Can we see the Crime Reference please? And if it hasn't been reported to the police why not?
sm, says...
11:57pm Fri 9 May 08
Jon wrote:it would have been reported to the police as a matter of course.
sm is right, I believe.
No doubt BHCC have alerted the police to the fact they believe it is a potential crime scene, hence non-cleaning taking place. Can we see the Crime Reference please? And if it hasn't been reported to the police why not?
Such 'sudden deaths' are recorded on a 'G5' police report. As required by law.
Jill, Hull says...
3:39pm Sat 10 May 08
Steve wrote:I am not knocking Brighton but surely what were his neighbours doing while he was slowly dying?Didn't they bother to pop in and see if he needed anything?And I am Brighton born and bred so I know just how "neighbourly "people can be!
Jill Aberdeen wrote: What a sad story.Surely the neighbours must have missed seeing him around.After living most of my life in Brighton I know for sure there is no community spirit thereJill, This is at least the second time you have posted a comment on the Argus website today criticising Brighton. It seems ironic as you now live in Hull and seem unable to let Brighton go! Is there nothing happening in Hull??!!
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Jill Aberdeen, hull says...
1:47pm Fri 9 May 08