Council refutes charges over role in care leaver’s death

Herefordshire Council has hit back at charges that it was at fault in the death of a young woman in Hereford, which strongly echoed the death of a young man a year earlier.

Natasha Ashby, known as Tash, was found dead in a tent at Hereford county bus station in August 2023, the cause of death being determined as heroin toxicity. The 21-year-old had been in care since 2011 and the council was still responsible for her as a “care leaver”.

A coroner’s inquest into her death began in November but was adjourned to allow more information to be brought forward.

Luke Clements, professor of law and social justice at Leeds University, though based in Hereford, has now made several charges against the council over the case, including that it had failed to act on a coroner’s report into the similar death in the city a year previously.

Sam Taylor, a young homeless care leaver with mental health issues who had previously attempted suicide, was also found dead in a tent, by the river Wye.

Professor Clements said that a “Prevent Future Deaths” (PFD) notice on the case, issued just five weeks before Tash’s death, warned that “there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken” by the council.

But a spokesperson for Herefordshire Council said it “did act on the (PFD) report, and submitted a comprehensive response that was accepted by the coroner”.

Professor Clements also claimed a local voluntary group had made a safeguarding referral to the council regarding Tash six weeks before her death, while the county hospital also made a referral just four days before her death.

On this, the council said it was “unable to comment as the coroner’s inquest is ongoing”.

And on Prof Clements’ point that no council official or member had attended November’s initial inquest, the council spokesperson said it “had not been invited or included in the hearing”.

They explained: “We were notified by the coroner that we are an interested party and will be required to supply information as part the inquest.

“We are fully engaged with this process and will work with the coroner to help to understand the circumstances that led to Natasha’s death.”

And they added: “We were extremely sorry to hear about the death of Natasha. Our thoughts continue to be with her family and friends.”

A date does not appear to have yet been set for the inquest to resume.