AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

[bluebottle]

Someone brought my attention to this case yesterday. Having read through it, it is pretty damning of the actions of a social landlord, in this case, a local authority, and the behaviour of its officers. It also highlights just how important the Human Rights Act/European Convention on Human Rights are in our everyday lives.

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/QB/2014/500.html

[Kati]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

I read about this yesterday in the Independent - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-9796994.html - Judge blasts Southwark Council for evicting Sudanese tenant and destroying all of his possessions

All his possessions, including his passport, credit cards, furniture and computer equipment containing several years of research and personal material, were removed on the day of the eviction and destroyed in a waste disposal facility

Judge Thornton said: “They each acted with the intention of harming AA by evicting him when there were no reasonable grounds for evicting him and by arranging for his possessions to be seized and destroyed unlawfully.”
Southwark Borough Council, which had originally offered AA £6,400 in compensation for the destruction of his belongings, said it had reached an out-of-court settlement with the man.

[bluebottle]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

Judge Thornton's remarks, which you highlight in your post, clearly shows there was an intention to permanently deprive AA of his possessions and to destroy them. The three of them should be facing criminal charges if they are not already. Dismissal from London Borough of Southwark's employment should have been a formality.

[Kati]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

Any mention about what happened to the three council officers involved, Kati?

unfortunately not bluebottle

But the local authority refused to say whether three officials singled out for particular criticism - income officer Christiana Okwara, her line manager Brian Davis, and resident officer Johanna Ashley - were still employed

although:

Councillor Richard Livingstone, a cabinet member for housing, said: “We realise we got things very wrong when dealing with this person and their possessions. We have apologised for any distress we may have caused. We acted swiftly and took strong disciplinary action against our staff when this came to our attention.”
The council said it could not discuss the details of disciplinary action against individual staff.

[bluebottle]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

I had a look at the article from The Independent - Thanks for the link - and it is a bit grey. A relative of mine works for a local authority and I will ask them what action is most likely to have taken against the three council officers, given the circumstances.

Update

Well, just asked them and, apparently, every local authority has its own policy on disciplinary matters. However, something as serious as what happened in AA's case would probably warrant disciplinary action at the more severe end of the scale.

[Kati]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

Personally I think firing is too good for them

[des8]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

Personally I think firing is too good for them

How about from a cannon?
Or is that going too far?

[Kati]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

There's a couple of good reads on this case on wordpress too:
https://alrich.wordpress.com/2014/10...wful-eviction/
and
http://civillitigationbrief.wordpres...rk-considered/

[bluebottle]

Re: AA v London Borough of Southwark [2014] EWHC 500 (QB)

Personally I think firing is too good for them

Exactly my thoughts, too.