Evicted disabled man left partially dressed in the street

[Zardoz]

Police called to help with eviction of disabled tenant

Tuesday, August 06, 2013
http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/Police-called-help-eviction-disabled-tenant/story-19618360-detail/story.html
Leicester Mercury  By Peter Warzynski

A disabled man was left partially dressed in the street in his wheelchair after being evicted from his home.

Police had to break down the front door of Vincent Tumulty's house in Leicester yesterday after he had barricaded himself and his carer inside because he did not want to leave.
 ​

 'NOWHERE TO GO': Vincent Tumulty, who has multiple scleroisis, outside his home yesterday after he being forcibly evicted


The 51-year-old had backed his wheelchair up against the door to stop his landlord and officers entering the property.

However, police were able to force their way past and Mr Tumulty, who has multiple sclerosis, was evicted at about 3pm.

By about 4pm, the windows of the property, in Avenue Road Extension, Clarendon Park, were being boarded up, while Mr Tumulty, who was not wearing trousers, sat outside.

His carer was granted access to the house to collect a small selection of his belongings, including a new litter of Jack Russell puppies which had been born that morning, and which Mr Tumulty clutched in a box outside his former home.

Landlord Vipen Gohil had been granted a court order "as a last resort" to evict Mr Tumulty, whom he described as an "abusive" neighbour.

Mr Tumulty said: "Social services offered me somewhere temporary, but said I had to get rid of my dogs.

"They also said I'd never see them again if I did, so I'm not doing that. That means I've got nowhere to go."

A city council spokesman said it had offered Mr Tumulty a place in a nearby nursing home, which he had declined.

The spokesman said: "That offer still stands. We have also advised him that he can go to the Dawn Centre, and have given him contact details for the Dogs Trust and RSPCA."

The Dawn Centre, in the city, provides temporary accommodation for the homeless.

Mr Gohil, 42, said he had tried to evict Mr Tumulty in June, but the tenant had resisted.

Yesterday, Mr Gohil, the police and a team of bailiffs were at the scene to remove him.

Mr Gohil said Mr Tumulty was asked to move out after neighbours had complained about his abusive behaviour.

He said: "He was asked to leave about two months ago but refused, so we had to get a court order.

"Neighbours had said he was intimidating them, swearing and throwing glasses. This is a last resort – we haven't been left with any other choice."

Mr Tumulty denied he had abused his neighbours.

"That's absolute rubbish," he said.

His carer, Iwona Nawrocka, who had been in the house with him when the police broke through the front door, said: "He doesn't want to leave, he's been here for three years. He lives by himself, and has MS and he needs care.

"This eviction was humiliating for him, everyone could see him in his wheelchair outside his house, he wasn't even given a chance to put on trousers."

A spokeswoman for the police said: "Police were called to assist a landlord in possession of a court order to evict an occupant of a property in Avenue Road Extension.

"Officers assisted in negotiating with the man to voluntarily leave the property where arrangements have been made for him at an alternative accommodation."

Mr Tumulty said yesterday that he did not know where he was going to spend the night.