Care home fined £125,000 after teenager’s death

A care home in Bristol has been fined for inadequate measures in ensuring the safety of residents, especially vulnerable individuals who posed risks to themselves.

The investigation and subsequent prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stems from an incident at Alexandra House on October 12, 2014, leading to the death of Melissa Mathieson.

Jason Conroy, responsible for the murder of the 18-year-old, was sentenced to life imprisonment the following year, as determined by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Situated on Wells Road, Bristol, Alexandra House is one of three facilities managed by Alexandra Homes (Bristol) Limited.

This particular home specialises in providing residential care for adults with Asperger syndrome and autism spectrum disorders, registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Both Mathieson and Conroy had recently moved to the facility in August 2014, with Mathieson relocating from Crawley and Conroy from a school in Shropshire.

Before moving to Alexandra House, Jason Conroy had previously strangled a staff member at his school, rendering her unconscious. This, along with other incidents, underscored the need for close monitoring.

When Conroy turned 18, Alexandra House was deemed a suitable place for him. Information from his school, including a risk assessment, indicated that he posed a threat to others, had demonstrated sexual aggression towards women, and could be violent. Despite these warnings, he was not adequately monitored.

In a victim impact statement, Miss Mathieson’s father, James Mathieson said: “My beloved daughter Melissa was murdered under their watch and that is something I can never forgive them for.”

Andrew Langdon KC, defending, said the company had been trading for nearly 20 years and had an enviable reputation in the industry.

“It is important that it has never had any difficulty in having all the residents it could cope with – it has quite the waiting list and that has always been the case,’ he said.

“It has not had to advertise its placements because of its reputation.

“It had no commercial interest in bringing Jason Conroy to Alexandra House because it could have filled that placement many times over. But it fell short by not reading the contents of this report.”

Following this death, an HSE investigation revealed that Alexandra House lacked appropriately trained and qualified staff in sufficient numbers to handle Conroy adequately.

Additionally, they were not informed of the risks he posed, and there were insufficient control measures in place, particularly at night.

On December 1, at Bristol Crown Court, Alexandra Homes (Bristol) Limited pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations.

The company was  fined £125,000 and ordered to pay £41,000.