Mum now in B&B after heart attack

6:00pm Tuesday 1st July 2008

A MOTHER-OF-THREE evicted from her home while she lay critically ill in hospital has been discharged into bed and breakfast accommodation.

The Press reported last week how Deborah Kirby, who was taken to hospital after suffering a heart attack, had been kicked out of her Acomb council house.

Ms Kirkby, 46, received the eviction notice from City of York Council following a hearing at York County Court on April 18.

Her family claim she underwent treatment for a heart attack at York Hospital and, after being discharged yesterday, she was put into bed and breakfast accommodation in Clifton.

Ms Kirby’s sister, Angela Kirby, of Eva Avenue, Rawcliffe, has attacked the council for not finding her sister permanent accommodation and “shoving” her in to bed and breakfast accomodation.

She said: “I am disgusted with the council.

“They are making out that there is no other accommodation, but I just don’t believe them.

“She’s just had a heart attack and she’s supposed to be taking it easy for the next six weeks. This accommodation is only for a week and I have had to go and buy her clothes from a charity shop as all her things are being stored by the council at Tockwith and she has no way of getting there.”

A council spokeswoman said Ms Kirkby, who lived in Woodford Place with her three children aged six, seven and 11, was ordered to leave her home due to antisocial behaviour.

The council spokeswoman said: “The council only offers permanent accommodation to people who are classed as ‘unintentionally homeless’; that is their homelessness was caused through no fault of their own.

“Ms Kirby was evicted from her property following numerous incidents of antisocial behaviour.

“The council only evicts tenants as a last resort and had tried to work with Ms Kirby over a long period of time to ensure that the antisocial behaviour stopped. Unfortunately, this did not happen.

“City of York uses a variety of emergency accommodation including hostels and B&Bs.

“The council’s housing team has been working with other departments within the authority, as well as York Hospital, to ensure that the temporary accommodation Ms Kirby has been given is suitable on a short term basis.”

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