A VOLATILE couple who started a doomed relationship after meeting at a substance misuse support group later died in a house fire after authorities were powerless to keep them apart.
Katherine Collard, 55, and Erwin Albers, 62, died in a house fire at their home on Cherry Tree Street, Elsecar, in July 2015, which was most likely started by one of them.
A domestic homicide review has been carried out by Barnsley Community Safety Partnership to examine what lessons could be learned.
A report states the couple, named in the report as S1 and S2, were well-known to mental health and substance misuse services in Barnsley. They met in June 2013 and quickly moved in together.
It states Ms Collard told to a friend that Mr Albers had raped her, but did not want to report the matter, but in January 2015, Ms Collard told a social worker and was moved to a women’s refuge.
At one point she withdrew her support from the investigation, but it was reinstated when she admitted Mr Albers had threatened her.
While living at the refuge, Ms Collard started a fire in her room twice, and was asked to leave. She moved back in with Mr Albers in April 2015, despite being told this was not a wise decision. Ms Collard said Mr Albers was taking his medication and she thought things would be fine.
The report states: “Whilst there are appropriate procedures in place to manage emerging relationships between service users, a balance has to be struck. “Professionals did intervene with advice and assistance, whilst at the same time recognising that both S1 and S2 had the capacity to make their own decisions. “Ultimately there was no lawful way that the relationship between S1 and S2 could have been prevented from going ahead.”
The report states a fire safety check was carried out at their home, and Ms Collard’s application for independent housing continued to be considered. The couple’s relationship appeared settled and stable and they seemed to be reducing their dependency on services.
The report adds: “Based on the information known before the fire, the safeguarding meeting scheduled for later in July would have been very likely to have recommended that no further action was necessary.”
The review found that while information about the couple was shared appropriately by professionals, there was no overall insight or ownership of the issues and risks arising from their relationship until a safeguarding meeting was prompted, and that Ms Collard was left with ‘Hobson’s choice’ to return to the couple’s home.
There were three lessons identified: people not offered services under a co-ordinated strategy may be denied the best opportunity to support their needs; that a lack of suitable housing for people who pose a fire risk leaves them vulnerable; and that not sharing risk information with all agencies could endanger staff providing those services.
A raft of recommendations have been drawn up for the Barnsley Safety Partnership, South West Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust, the fire service and South Yorkshire Police to guide future practice.
Wendy Lowder, Barnsley Council’s executive director of communities, said: “All agencies co-operated fully with the review and are implementing the lessons learned.
“On behalf of the board, I wish to pass on our sincere condolences to the family and friends.”
