UPDATED: Body found in Bournemouth church doorway (From Bournemouth Echo)

boscombewizard wrote:
Maybe open the doors of the church and let them sleep in there? That's probably what Jesus would do.

BournemouthMum wrote:
A terrible indictment on our Government that such a thing should be allowed to happen in the 21st century. Surely everyone deserves a warm bed to sleep for the night?

scrumpyjack wrote:

BournemouthMum wrote:
A terrible indictment on our Government that such a thing should be allowed to happen in the 21st century. Surely everyone deserves a warm bed to sleep for the night?

And pray tell what should the government do?

You have already said you are pleased benefits are being cut.

You want more of your tax money being spent on drunks and druggies?

leahmacdonald wrote:
This was not just "SOME HOMELESS" guy, he was karl lambe, father bto 2 beautiful little girls who idolised him, he was a good man, my partner for nearly a decade, and jst down on his luck temporarily, he also was not found dead, he died in hospital sun morning, not frm homelessness thop that did not help but from a heart disease that was hereditary, he was kind, genetrous, and totally in love with my gir;ls and me, yes he was troubled but he didint deserve to die alone like this, and he didint deserve to have his identitiy wiped and made a statistsic/story for some reporter, he had been in bournemouth for 10 years , he worked here, studied here and created a family here, this was his home and by describing karl the way you have done, by not bothering to do any research to his background you have eradicated the person behind the story by just focusing on the parts that make a story more readable, im disgusted, shame on you , god love you karl as we all do, i just wish those last few days had been so very different for you, ur at peace now bbe, sleep well, love always leah

spooki wrote:

leahmacdonald wrote:
This was not just "SOME HOMELESS" guy, he was karl lambe, father bto 2 beautiful little girls who idolised him, he was a good man, my partner for nearly a decade, and jst down on his luck temporarily, he also was not found dead, he died in hospital sun morning, not frm homelessness thop that did not help but from a heart disease that was hereditary, he was kind, genetrous, and totally in love with my gir;ls and me, yes he was troubled but he didint deserve to die alone like this, and he didint deserve to have his identitiy wiped and made a statistsic/story for some reporter, he had been in bournemouth for 10 years , he worked here, studied here and created a family here, this was his home and by describing karl the way you have done, by not bothering to do any research to his background you have eradicated the person behind the story by just focusing on the parts that make a story more readable, im disgusted, shame on you , god love you karl as we all do, i just wish those last few days had been so very different for you, ur at peace now bbe, sleep well, love always leah

Well done for speaking out! It's a shame no one thought to find this out by themselves with a little research. I am sorry for your loss.

scrumpyjack wrote:

BournemouthMum wrote:
A terrible indictment on our Government that such a thing should be allowed to happen in the 21st century. Surely everyone deserves a warm bed to sleep for the night?

And pray tell what should the government do?

You have already said you are pleased benefits are being cut.

You want more of your tax money being spent on drunks and druggies?

Patlad wrote:
If the so called Holy Men of |Bournemouth spent less time spouting in the Pulpit and more time mixing with Their flock They would find They really are doing Gods work for His People

beachcomber1 wrote:
i'm sure the congregation will all have a good tut about it then head back to their comfortable lives, as will those who read the article, myself included.

elfinia wrote:
On Saturday 19th I had gone to the bank in B'mouth for an appointment. My car was parked in the Horseshoe Common car park. On my way back to it I popped into the co-op to get a lottery ticket. When I came out a man very politely asked if I could spare any change. He was quite tall, very slim with dark brown shortish hair ( I think with a fringe) and a slightly gaunt face, wearing jeans and a light coloured jacket. He said he needed the money for a bed at the shelter. I asked how much? He said £3 and I found just that change in my purse and gave it to him. I held both his hands, which were freezing cold, in my hands and looked him in the eye and told him to take care....he had a good vibe about him and I was worried that he wasn't suitably dressed for the cold wind that day. I don't know if that was Karl, but it haunts me that it might have been. This is a tragic story. Shame on us all. Many thanks to his ex-partner for her brave contribution to this thread. Alexandra Thrift, Throop.

KLH wrote:

elfinia wrote:
On Saturday 19th I had gone to the bank in B'mouth for an appointment. My car was parked in the Horseshoe Common car park. On my way back to it I popped into the co-op to get a lottery ticket. When I came out a man very politely asked if I could spare any change. He was quite tall, very slim with dark brown shortish hair ( I think with a fringe) and a slightly gaunt face, wearing jeans and a light coloured jacket. He said he needed the money for a bed at the shelter. I asked how much? He said £3 and I found just that change in my purse and gave it to him. I held both his hands, which were freezing cold, in my hands and looked him in the eye and told him to take care....he had a good vibe about him and I was worried that he wasn't suitably dressed for the cold wind that day. I don't know if that was Karl, but it haunts me that it might have been. This is a tragic story. Shame on us all. Many thanks to his ex-partner for her brave contribution to this thread. Alexandra Thrift, Throop.

The old chestnut of wanting a few quid for the shelter - more often than not, no matter how polite and grateful these people are when you delve into your purse, that money often goes nowhere near a bed for the night. If indeed this fella was Karl, then he did not use your money for that purpose or he would have been safe inside.

I know rough sleepers that prefer sleeping rough to the shelter, no matter how much you persuade them to go in the warm they would rather sleep out. Their choice.

Joefraser wrote:
Just my opinion, Thirteen billion pounds of our tax money is due to be spent on foreign aid per year. I think it would be better spent trying to ensure this sort of thing doesn't happen at home. This man ( Karl ) needed help, for whatever reason, and couldn't find it. Maybe he didn't know where to look and it was available but, in the twenty-first century, I find that shocking. RIP

BournemouthMum wrote:

KLH wrote:

elfinia wrote:
On Saturday 19th I had gone to the bank in B'mouth for an appointment. My car was parked in the Horseshoe Common car park. On my way back to it I popped into the co-op to get a lottery ticket. When I came out a man very politely asked if I could spare any change. He was quite tall, very slim with dark brown shortish hair ( I think with a fringe) and a slightly gaunt face, wearing jeans and a light coloured jacket. He said he needed the money for a bed at the shelter. I asked how much? He said £3 and I found just that change in my purse and gave it to him. I held both his hands, which were freezing cold, in my hands and looked him in the eye and told him to take care....he had a good vibe about him and I was worried that he wasn't suitably dressed for the cold wind that day. I don't know if that was Karl, but it haunts me that it might have been. This is a tragic story. Shame on us all. Many thanks to his ex-partner for her brave contribution to this thread. Alexandra Thrift, Throop.

The old chestnut of wanting a few quid for the shelter - more often than not, no matter how polite and grateful these people are when you delve into your purse, that money often goes nowhere near a bed for the night. If indeed this fella was Karl, then he did not use your money for that purpose or he would have been safe inside.

I know rough sleepers that prefer sleeping rough to the shelter, no matter how much you persuade them to go in the warm they would rather sleep out. Their choice.

Their choice? If you honestly believe that someone would rather sleep out in sub zero temperatures rather than a warm bed then you really are a fool - and that's putting it politely.

.I would rather give someone £3 knowing that they may well choose to spend the money on something else than have it on my conscience that I passed by them and did nothing like so many others do.

I pity your ignorance.

davidhaz wrote:

Cadaichri wrote:
Davidhaz, I think you are an internet troll as I really hope there is nobody out there as unfortunately small-minded as you. I don't think anybody is homeless by choice, why would you be? I have never lived on the street but I found myself in a position where I was unemployed and had nowhere to live, not through a 'mental issue' or 'drug problem', but through very unfortunate circumstance, where my place of work went into administration (my flat came with the job). Luckily I had very supportive family and friends but some people do not have that. Homelessness isn't a choice, and homeless people are PEOPLE.

Perhaps instead of blaming the government, we can all try and do our bit. I know most people are reluctant to give money to the homeless in case they spend it on 'drugs' (even though a few pence won't go far towards drugs). I admit I usually don't give my change away..but then reading a story like this, perhaps If I had, this man with two children who had a whole lie in front of him, may have found somewhere warm to stay and would not have died in such a tragic way.

Perhaps we can all try and help the homeless by giving them warm drinks or old blankets and clothes, so they can keep warm at the very least? You can say we pay our taxes for people to do this, but it's society that can help the most. A tiny little gesture can make all the difference in the world.

pathetic

A N Archist wrote:
This dear readers is the price of living in a community run by privileged toff filth; murderous class war on the poor and vulnerable.

All the usual platitudes about 'how sad' and all the rest of it. For those that voted toff trash in 2010 I hope you are proud of yourselves.

Its time for the producing class to hit back - this depression is deliberately top down engineered. Wake the working class; solidarity in this latest round of the class war is vital and its time for the final battle. All welcome in the struggle ahead except of course for LaBcondems, facists and the filth.

rollingpinboy wrote:
Full Blame should be put on Bournemouth Council and the Conservative Government! They should both be held accountable and prosecuted!

BournemouthMum wrote:

KLH wrote:

elfinia wrote:
On Saturday 19th I had gone to the bank in B'mouth for an appointment. My car was parked in the Horseshoe Common car park. On my way back to it I popped into the co-op to get a lottery ticket. When I came out a man very politely asked if I could spare any change. He was quite tall, very slim with dark brown shortish hair ( I think with a fringe) and a slightly gaunt face, wearing jeans and a light coloured jacket. He said he needed the money for a bed at the shelter. I asked how much? He said £3 and I found just that change in my purse and gave it to him. I held both his hands, which were freezing cold, in my hands and looked him in the eye and told him to take care....he had a good vibe about him and I was worried that he wasn't suitably dressed for the cold wind that day. I don't know if that was Karl, but it haunts me that it might have been. This is a tragic story. Shame on us all. Many thanks to his ex-partner for her brave contribution to this thread. Alexandra Thrift, Throop.

The old chestnut of wanting a few quid for the shelter - more often than not, no matter how polite and grateful these people are when you delve into your purse, that money often goes nowhere near a bed for the night. If indeed this fella was Karl, then he did not use your money for that purpose or he would have been safe inside.

I know rough sleepers that prefer sleeping rough to the shelter, no matter how much you persuade them to go in the warm they would rather sleep out. Their choice.

Their choice? If you honestly believe that someone would rather sleep out in sub zero temperatures rather than a warm bed then you really are a fool - and that's putting it politely.

.I would rather give someone £3 knowing that they may well choose to spend the money on something else than have it on my conscience that I passed by them and did nothing like so many others do.

I pity your ignorance.

renea wrote:
Been in Bournemouth for the day and spoken to a few of the big issue/beggers in the area. they all seem to know who has died and it seems to have shaken them up. when i have asked them to please be careful and get themselves into shelter they seem to be apprehensive about sleeping out tonight but i wonder how many of them manage to find beds? before any comments are put on here about junkies or drunks just remember that we are all 3 months payday from being in the same position. have a heart and a bit of compassion before posting!

Cadaichri wrote:
Davidhaz, I think you are an internet troll as I really hope there is nobody out there as unfortunately small-minded as you. I don't think anybody is homeless by choice, why would you be? I have never lived on the street but I found myself in a position where I was unemployed and had nowhere to live, not through a 'mental issue' or 'drug problem', but through very unfortunate circumstance, where my place of work went into administration (my flat came with the job). Luckily I had very supportive family and friends but some people do not have that. Homelessness isn't a choice, and homeless people are PEOPLE.

Perhaps instead of blaming the government, we can all try and do our bit. I know most people are reluctant to give money to the homeless in case they spend it on 'drugs' (even though a few pence won't go far towards drugs). I admit I usually don't give my change away..but then reading a story like this, perhaps If I had, this man with two children who had a whole lie in front of him, may have found somewhere warm to stay and would not have died in such a tragic way.

Perhaps we can all try and help the homeless by giving them warm drinks or old blankets and clothes, so they can keep warm at the very least? You can say we pay our taxes for people to do this, but it's society that can help the most. A tiny little gesture can make all the difference in the world.

Yankee1 wrote:
One would have thought that this unfortunate individual, who was known to church authorities, would have been brought in and given help.

Churches are too concerned with Ecclesiastical Insurance and their Parish Share to understand than a soul, harbouring in their doorstep, may soon perish.

elfinia wrote:
I wrote my post like that because it was true. I am aware that any old person can make up a story

( though heaven knows why they would want to )

and by telling it like it was, with the detail, I felt that interested people ( relatives or whoever) would see that it was genuine.

If it had been my relative ,it would help me to know that there had been some kind of human contact on the day of such a lonely death. That's all.

This is the way I always write and probably soeak , too.

Apology accepted.

cycletourer wrote:
People that believe homeless people live that way because they choose to really need to get their heads out of their soft fluffy pillows and take a reality check on a cold night.A large percentage of homeless people are ex service men who were thrown on the scrap heap by the goverment when they no longer had any use for them,normally when the scars of the battlefield drove them over the edge.Many homeless people are scarred by the abuse they suffered during childhood when they were placed into the care of instertutions that would 'love' them.They grew distant from society and learnt to trust no one.Yes many are drug users and are alcholics,thats their way of escaping the mental torture that they face day to day.All those that knock back a bottle of wine after a 'hard' day at work,can you not understand why someone who faces day after day on the streets does the same.Your excuse is a **** sight lamer than theirs.

A N Archist wrote:
Seems the best thing we could all do to honour Karl's memory (I didn't know him) and anyone else's (the thousands of elderly that have probably died of hypothermia because of fuel poverty) and anyone else heading that way is fight for and achieve social justice and an end to privilege.

itsmyopinionso wrote:
Interesting and disappointing comments, first thing i would like to say is this article is gutter journalism at its worst, sensationalizing the death of a young man is disgusting and the writer should hang their head in shame, this man died on the steps of the church surrounded by drug paraphenalia,(FACT) he died of a heart defect,(FACT), was staying with his friend and had stolen items from the friend and fled to the streets(FACT) not a judgement, he did not try to access any services including the 50 spaces available at the night shelter funded by the council, a further up to 30 places were secured in temporary accommodation due to the freezing weather that weekend, the council also had staff working on the streets morning noon and night during the cold snap. He had a choice to access help and support he had previous stay in homeless accommodation and also many drug rehabs, very sad circumstances however his death is due to nothing but his lifestyle choice not the government the council or the church, if people need help all they have to do is go to the council services and they will get the help, unfortunately some people don't want help, choose to stay out on the streets and use drugs, there will always be consequences and deaths due to this choice and no one else is to blame, it is consequences of the choices they make, sad though very sad.

mlambe wrote:
hi every one , this man actually found is my brother , my mother n sisters n family r devastated , we are fight n at the moment 2 get my brother bk 2 norwich were he **** from , his ex gf leah has been unkind 2 us all for yrs , we ave tried reasoning with her just horrible 2 us all , and karl acutally has 3 children ,the other daughter who as not been mentioned , we ave been told we cant ave my brother as leah is claiming him , as she is the mother ov his 2 other kids , but leah n karl were not 2 gether , n there relationship was on n off for yrs , from wat my brother told me he was always fight n for his children as there were in care home , n he was always kicked out n homelesss , i love my brother very much he never told us he was homeless , i only spoke 2 him few weeks ago on fb , can u all actually feel sorry for his family who as not been mentioned , we love him so much n want him home with his mother , sisters n family , there r lots ov lies go n around , but me n my mum n sisters n family nos the truth , if there is a god up there help us , so my brother can b home were he belongs xxx

chridrum wrote:
I wish we could buy tokens for the night shelter, I like many people hate giving money because it might be used for alcohol or drugs and that is not helping the person. Or the person may not be in genuine need.

Perhaps the Echo could start a campaign to help street dwellers. If there was a token system they could use the tokens for food and night shelter. I feel sure people would be happy to buy and give tokens.

suzigirl wrote:

elfinia wrote: On Saturday 19th I had gone to the bank in B'mouth for an appointment. My car was parked in the Horseshoe Common car park. On my way back to it I popped into the co-op to get a lottery ticket. When I came out a man very politely asked if I could spare any change. He was quite tall, very slim with dark brown shortish hair ( I think with a fringe) and a slightly gaunt face, wearing jeans and a light coloured jacket. He said he needed the money for a bed at the shelter. I asked how much? He said £3 and I found just that change in my purse and gave it to him. I held both his hands, which were freezing cold, in my hands and looked him in the eye and told him to take care....he had a good vibe about him and I was worried that he wasn't suitably dressed for the cold wind that day. I don't know if that was Karl, but it haunts me that it might have been. This is a tragic story. Shame on us all. Many thanks to his ex-partner for her brave contribution to this thread. Alexandra Thrift, Throop.

but sadly some of the people begging on the streets saying it is for accommodation but use the money for other purposes i.e. drink and drugs!

KLH wrote:
In my case more of stating the uncomfortable TRUTH about life on the streets in which I have first hand knowledge. Not know anything, I think I know more than you think. A few heads in the sand in these comments.