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HIGHAMS PARK: Sex slur victim found hanged
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| Ian Adams, photographed when the Guardian reported on his plight in January |
A MAN who lost his job after being falsely accused of a horrific sex crime has been found hanged in a shed.
Ian Adams, 51, of Aldriche Way, Highams Park, was working at Ikea, in Edmonton. He was a trolley collector for contractor Symonds Hydroclean.
He had been promoted to a supervisory position but less than two months into his job, he was told that Ikea had barred him from the store because of a letter it received. He was later sacked by Symonds.
The letter alleged that Mr Adams had raped a woman and her two children, but he had never been arrested or convicted of a sexual offence and the police told the Guardian they had received no complaints against him.
As we reported at the time, the name and address in the letter were fake and the writer falsely claimed to work at the Guardian.
Since Mr Adams was sacked in January his life had gone on a downward spiral.
He told the Guardian a few weeks ago that he had started drinking again, after a spell of relative sobriety while he was working, and was also taking anti-depressants and sleeping pills.
His drinking led to problems with his partner and he spent the last few nights of his life sleeping in a storage shed at the bottom of the block of flats in which he lived.
| “If it wasn’t for that letter he would still be here, I am sure of it." | | Neighbour |
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A neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said: "If it wasn't for that letter he would still be here, I am sure of it.
"He was happy and full of himself when he was working, he was more or less dancing on his way to work. But he went from working all day to doing nothing.
"He went down and down, poor chap, and we should have seen the warning signs."
Another neighbour Darren Lupton, 34, said: "He was doing well, he was off the drink for a long time when he had the job, but when he lost it he was devastated."
At the time, Symonds and Ikea appeared to blame each other for Mr Adams losing his job.
Ikea claimed that it had only suspended him from the premises until Symonds had carried out an investigation, while Symonds claimed that it had no choice but to let him go because Ikea would not let him work on its premises.
The Symonds contract has now been taken back in-house by Ikea.
Ambulance staff tried to resuscitate Mr Adams, but he was pronounced dead at the scene at 11.31am on Monday.
Police are not treating the death as suspicious.
9:00am Sunday 23rd March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Mr. T. C. Hull, Walthamstow on 10:19am Tue 25 Mar 08
I hope the letter writer, Ikea and Symonds are proud of themselves for driving this poor man into taking his life. A little thought on his employers part, and an investigation by them to ascertain the TRUTH, and he would still be with us I'm sure!
I hope the letter writer, Ikea and Symonds are proud of themselves for driving this poor man into taking his life. A little thought on his employers part, and an investigation by them to ascertain the TRUTH, and he would still be with us I'm sure!
Posted by: Mr khalid, walthamstow on 11:45am Tue 25 Mar 08
how they sak this man just by rumor letter?
very frigtening if can just do that
they drive him to do
how they sak this man just by rumor letter?
very frigtening if can just do that
they drive him to do
Posted by: I understand, Waltham Forest on 5:33pm Tue 25 Mar 08
May he rest in peace. I am currently undergoing depression having lost my job and reputation in similar circumstances. Luckily I have the support of good friends and family. Had I been living alone I know I would have harmed myself like this man did. There's not a day that goes by when I don't think about ending it all and finding peaceful sleep away from everything. My heart goes out to him. Many will not understand what it's like to be put through a living hell for no reason.
May he rest in peace. I am currently undergoing depression having lost my job and reputation in similar circumstances. Luckily I have the support of good friends and family. Had I been living alone I know I would have harmed myself like this man did. There's not a day that goes by when I don't think about ending it all and finding peaceful sleep away from everything. My heart goes out to him. Many will not understand what it's like to be put through a living hell for no reason.
Posted by: Pete, Chingford on 11:47am Wed 26 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Mr khalid[/bold] wrote:
how they sak this man just by rumor letter? very frigtening if can just do that they drive him to do[/quote] Can't you work out how to use spellcheck on the computer?
Your comments are unintelligible, but you'll have to look that up as you won't know what it means.
Mr khalid wrote:
how they sak this man just by rumor letter? very frigtening if can just do that they drive him to do
Can't you work out how to use spellcheck on the computer?
Your comments are unintelligible, but you'll have to look that up as you won't know what it means.
Posted by: randolph on 10:49am Thu 27 Mar 08
this man used to be me neighbour and i can swear that he did not do what he was accused of.i hope the police find the person who accused him of these henious crimes and charge them with manslaughter.they caused a very respectable man to take his own life.theres a god up there so don't forget that.
this man used to be me neighbour and i can swear that he did not do what he was accused of.i hope the police find the person who accused him of these henious crimes and charge them with manslaughter.they caused a very respectable man to take his own life.theres a god up there so don't forget that.
Posted by: suspendedTeacher, Suffolk on 7:42pm Sun 6 Apr 08
I wound up being dismissed from teaching because of an anonymous letter and malicious or hysterical allegations being believed by my employers. I had to take them to court to get the case exposed and the malicious behaviour identified. Even though I was completely exonerated by the (i) police, (ii) a judge and (iii)an independent inquiry, I was never re-instated. The cost ran well over £10000. Fortunately I had many supportive friends who are invaluable at times like this. Charitable support groups helped. The state agencies are hopeless, and merely encourage more false allegations to be made.
I wound up being dismissed from teaching because of an anonymous letter and malicious or hysterical allegations being believed by my employers. I had to take them to court to get the case exposed and the malicious behaviour identified. Even though I was completely exonerated by the (i) police, (ii) a judge and (iii)an independent inquiry, I was never re-instated. The cost ran well over £10000. Fortunately I had many supportive friends who are invaluable at times like this. Charitable support groups helped. The state agencies are hopeless, and merely encourage more false allegations to be made.
Posted by: jo, essex on 11:01pm Wed 30 Apr 08
i would like to thank you all for your kind comments and support i think i no who sent the letter but i dont no what to do this poor man was my dad and people cant be aloud to get away with this the police should be looking for the person that took my dads life
i would like to thank you all for your kind comments and support i think i no who sent the letter but i dont no what to do this poor man was my dad and people cant be aloud to get away with this the police should be looking for the person that took my dads life
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