A coroner has criticised a carer’s conduct in the hours leading up to the death of Jamie Cole, a 25-year-old autistic man from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. Jamie fell to his death from a hotel balcony in Tenerife after an argument with his carer, Lousha Rees.
Jamie, who had a history of suicidal thoughts, was on holiday accompanied by Ms Rees, employed by the private care company Lifestyle (also known as Accomplish). During an inquest at Avon Coroner’s Court, Dr Peter Harrowing acknowledged that Ms Rees behaved “inappropriately” before Jamie’s death, though he did not deem her actions as gross misconduct.
The trouble began on the evening of January 14, 2023, when Jamie and Ms Rees went out to dinner. A disagreement arose over meal costs after Ms Rees insisted on ordering the “most expensive meal” on the menu, a request Jamie was not willing to accommodate. After leaving the restaurant upset, Jamie received a text from Ms Rees calling his behaviour “totally inappropriate” and likening it to that of a 12-year-old.
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Ms Rees stated in a written court statement that Jamie had addressed her as his girlfriend during the meal, which made her uncomfortable. Later that night, Ms Rees knocked on Jamie’s hotel room door, and he assured her he was “fine.”
Tragically, Jamie’s mother, Martine Cole, later discovered a final message Jamie sent to a care company manager, Laura Warrant: “I’m going to jump now, you can tell everyone I love them, especially my Mum.” Ms Warrant’s reply was to tell Jamie to “stop being silly” and to get some rest.
Jamie was found dead that same evening, having fallen from the fifth-floor balcony of his hotel. Ms Rees only learned of his death the next morning from the hotel manager, who described it as an “awful accident.”
Dr Harrowing described Jamie as an “extremely anxious young man” who needed constant reassurance. Jamie’s moods were volatile, and he had a history of suicidal ideation. The coroner found that the risk assessment conducted by Lifestyle was inadequate, performed hastily, and failed to properly consider Jamie’s mental health conditions. Although acknowledging that there was no immediate known risk to Jamie’s life, Dr Harrowing criticised Ms Rees’s response during the incident, as well as the dismissive reply from Ms Warrant.
Despite these criticisms, the coroner did not believe there had been gross failures or misconduct. Jamie’s exact intentions at the time of his fall remain unclear.
Following the tragedy, Lifestyle has implemented an improvement plan addressing the issues raised. Dr Harrowing stated he was “satisfied” with the company’s response.
In a statement read by her solicitors, Leigh Day, Jamie’s mother expressed her heartbreak: “My Jamie was the most joyful, bubbly person. His autism meant he could easily become upset, but his support team knew the triggers. I am grateful to the coroner for examining what happened. I will never fully understand how my happy, healthy son went on holiday but never came home.” She urged care companies to recognize their critical responsibilities in supporting vulnerable individuals and ensuring thorough support plans and risk assessments. “We have lost our precious Jamie forever, but I believe he should still be with us.”