Southampton Potters Court: Family 'crying out for help' before death

Mark Williams' fatal fall from his balcony at city council-owned Potters Court was yesterday ruled an accident by a coroner following a week-long inquest.

Carers who gave evidence said they were concerned about him being on the top floor after he became disorientated, and one had started to explore a move to the ground floor.

Now his daughters Jessy and Lucy have told of their trauma over the two years since the 60-year-old's death on November 9, 2021.

They said they were 'crying out for help' raising concerns prior to his death - and said they were left 'fighting' every step of the way after he died.

Speaking to the Echo after the inquest, Jessy said she is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the ordeal and can’t “live how I used to”.

She said: “I’m happy it’s not suicide, that’s what me and Lucy have been fighting for for the last two years, to make sure that dad was recognised for actually what he went through.

“I have had to struggle for two years with this so personally it has taken a massive toll on me, and my brother and sister.”

Jessy said there were “massive safeguarding concerns” about her father before his death.

Mr Williams was found dead below his balcony five months after moving into Potters Court.

Area Coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said the death was possibly contributed to by THC – the principal psychoactive constituent of cannabis – which was found in high levels in his blood.

READ MORE: Potters Court carer sobbed recalling Mark Williams' death

This was found to be due to the cannabis oil he was taking following his diagnosis of lymphoma.

But his daughters said their father was “confused and disorientated” before he was diagnosed with cancer and that there is no proof that THC contributed.

They had raised multiple concerns to care provider Apex Prime Care about him being housed on the fourth floor, as well as his medication not being administered correctly.

Mark Williams (Image: Supplied)

Jessy said: “He was confused and disorientated from the minute he moved in way before the cancer.

“When he got his cancer, it got progressively worse and nobody listened to us.

“When he was ill and he was getting lost they should have reevaluated that risk assessment. They didn’t.

“It worries me because if he didn’t have us, the level of care that he would have received would be even less.

"When we were as a family crying out for help, saying dad’s not being looked after, they didn’t do anything for us."

READ MORE: Southampton council on why blind man was housed in top floor flat

Mr Williams had been taking oral morphine for lymphoma as well as the cannabis oil before his death.

The amount of THC found in his blood was found to be 900 times the legal driving limit.

Concluding the inquest, Mrs Rhodes-Kemp said: "We don't know the exact circumstances in which he ended up there.

"My conclusion is accident, possibly contributed to by very high levels of THC."

READ MORE: Southampton blind man's balcony fall death 'a gross failing'

Mr Williams' mental health issues and visual impairment were also a contributing factor, she said.

She said there had been attempts to move Mr Williams to a ground-floor flat after he was diagnosed with cancer due to his "disorientation", but no formal application was ever made.

Lucy added: “I just hope his legacy lives on and I just hope his death brings some sort of change. [He was] a brilliant bloke and a right character.”

Claire Edgar, executive director Wellbeing and Housing, Southampton City Council, said: “We would like to offer our sincere condolences to Mr Williams’ family, who we have continued to communicate with over the last two years and whose experiences have contributed to the review of our policies and procedures."

She added: “It’s for this reason we have actively and openly participated in the recent coroner’s inquest.

“We accept the coroner’s verdict, and as a multi-agency team, we will fully cooperate with any recommendations that follow."