Joel Eneke found dead while in seclusion at Mill View Hospital, Hove

Joel Eneke had been at Mill View Hospital in Hove for just under a week when he was found to have died on the morning of Saturday, December 28, 2019.

The 32-year-old was not breathing when a nurse and doctor came to check on him and perform a seclusion review. Paramedics were called and Joel was confirmed to have died just after 6am.

Following a post mortem examination, Mr Eneke’s provisional cause of death was given as hemorrhagic gastritis, which can be caused by other underlying conditions.

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At the inquest into his death, which began yesterday at Sussex County Cricket Ground, the court heard Joel had a history of chronic mental health problems and had spent much of his life in institutions after being diagnosed with schizophrenia in 2006.

In May 2019 Joel was referred to Route One, a specialist service run by Brighton Housing Trust, which accommodates and supports adults with mental health needs.

Joel moved into Route One accommodation the following month and had his own self-contained flat in Carlisle Road, Hove, where he received support to help build his independence.

Staff described the move as a “big step” for Joel and he was reported to be doing well for the next five months.

Mill View Hospital in Hove

Emma Goodwin, Joel’s lead practitioner who supported him in the community and monitored his mental health, said: “The only thing he wanted in life was to have his own flat and be more independent, and it was lovely to see him doing so.

“There was nothing out of the ordinary when I last saw Joel and I was extremely shocked he had been recalled to hospital, and to hear what unfolded that weekend.”

Jack Poole, Joel’s support worker at Route One, described Joel as a “really bubbly outgoing character” but said in early December he noticed a change, as Joel became “irritable”.

Mr Poole also reported seeing a man he recognised “from the street community” ringing the buzzer at Joel’s flat and entering for a short time on December 3.

He said Joel referred to the man as “Uncle Charlie” and he knew him “through Mill View”.

Another resident in the building reported seeing another man “suspected to be a heroin user” entering Joel’s flat on December 18.

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Mr Poole contacted Ms Goodwin about the two men and noted a change in Joel’s behaviour.

He said: “It was not until December that I had any concerns about Joel.

“We were aware of the risks of him being vulnerable and I emailed Ms Goodwin with my concerns.

“But Joel was also looking forward to Christmas. He did not seem to be on the verge of a psychotic relapse.”

Ms Goodwin, who saw Joel regularly, said there had been no evidence of anyone staying with him in his flat and no evidence of “cuckooing” - where drug dealers use the home of vulnerable people for criminal activity.

At 2.40am on December 21, another resident in the block of flats called police and reported their friend had “gone crazy”. Officers attended and found the window in the front door of the building smashed with blood on, and a lot of blood in Joel’s flat.

Joel was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and taken into custody, but it was later confirmed he had not assaulted anyone and the blood was all from cuts on his hands.

A mental health assessment found Joel was “acutely mentally unwell” and he was recalled to the Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit at Mill View Hospital and detained under section three of the Mental Health Act.

Joel was found to have stopped taking his clozapine medication at least two days prior to his admission.

His mother Carel Eneke said: “It was a shock to see him so unwell. When I went to his flat I found a pack of his clozapine dated from December 9 and he had stopped taking other medication too.”

Referring to the two men seen entering Joel’s flat, Senior coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley said: “Both these mysterious men we have heard about may have been involved.

“Perhaps they did stay a night and perhaps Joel did not want anyone to see him take his medication.”

On Thursday, December 26, two days before his death, staff at Mill View made a decision to put Joel in seclusion for safety reasons after two incidents in which he assaulted other patients.

Joel, who was overweight and suffered from other physical health problems including irritable bowel syndrome, which caused him anxiety, was put on constant watch.

The court heard he had a slightly raised heart rate and low oxygen levels, but his physical health observations were “otherwise unremarkable”.

He had reported blood in his stool but this was attributed to a haemorrhoid.

The coroner said she wanted to find out if there were any clues to his “very fast” death.

She said: “In the last few days of his life he was clearly very upset and unwell. It was not the true Joel.

“It seems to have come on very suddenly.

“This is an Article 2 inquest, which is relevant as it extends the scope of the inquiry.

“What we’re looking at is are there any systemic failings which are more than causative or more than a minimum contributor to Joel’s death.”

The inquest continues.