Luke Brooks: State of damp house played no part in mould-related death, coroner rules

Granada Reports Rob Smith at Rochdale Coroner's Court

The dilapidated state of a damp house did not play a part in the death of a man from mould-related pneumonia, a coroner has ruled.

The family of Luke Brooks believe the mould and damp in their three-bedroom home in Oldham caused the 27-year-old’s death in October 2022.

But, on Thursday, senior coroner Joanne Kearsley told an inquest at Rochdale Coroner’s Court that “neither the disrepairs nor any damp caused or contributed to Luke’s death”.

Ms Kearsley accepted that Mr Brooks’ death was caused by aspergillus pneumonia and that aspergillus is a type of mould.

But she told the inquest: “It is not possible to determine the source of the aspergillus.”

Mr Brooks’ mother, Patricia, told the inquest earlier this week that there were multiple problems with the house, including rainwater coming in through the roof and mould in a number of rooms, including the bathroom and her son’s bedroom.

The inquest also heard that Mr Brooks spent most of his time in the bedroom he shared with his friend, Chris Haycock, and three dogs.

Witnesses said the room was in a state of “squalor”, rarely cleaned, and contained dirty crockery and food.

A pathologist told the hearing that Mr Brooks died from acute respiratory distress syndrome which was caused by aspergillus pneumonia.

But fungus expert Professor Malcolm Richardson said the black mould visible in a number of locations in the Huxley Street property, including Mr Brooks’s bedroom, was a different type – penicillium, which is not a pathogen.

The professor, who is a consultant clinical scientist in medical mycology, said he carried out tests at the house in April 2023 – six months after Mr Brooks’ death – and found “very, very little” evidence of aspergillus in the house, with just one spore found in the bedroom.

Ms Kearsley is the same coroner who ruled last year that two-year-old Awaab Ishak died in Rochdale from a respiratory condition caused by mould at his home.

In her formal conclusion in relation to Mr Brooks, she said: “While the property within which Luke resided was in need of some repairs, neither the disrepairs nor any damp caused or contributed to Luke’s death.

“Luke predominately resided in his bedroom which was in an unsanitary condition. He also smoked roll up cigarettes and used cannabis.

“Due to these factors, it is not possible to determine the source of the aspergillus.”

The coroner told Mr Brooks’ family, who were present in court: “I do appreciate you had some genuine concerns about the property and my findings do not take away from that things did need to be done to the house.

“What I have had to separate is whether they did or did not play a part in Luke’s death.”

She said the family was “quite right to raise these concerns – I absolutely understand that”.

“I hope you understand why I have reached the conclusions I have come to,” she said.

Ms Kearsley said Mr Brooks’ reaction to aspergillus pneumonia was “extreme” given his age and with no history of any serious medical problems.

Cllr Elaine Taylor, Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing at Oldham Council, said: “This has been a tragic case and our thoughts are with Luke’s family and friends.

"Everyone who rents private accommodation should be living in a well-managed property that is safe, warm and comfortable.

"We would urge anyone who believes they are living in a privately-rented property that is damp or dangerous to get in touch with us, so we can look into it and take action as required.”

Speaking outside court, Mr Brooks’s sister, Sarah, said: “The place we lived in wasn’t good to live in. It didn’t feel like a real home, no matter how hard we tried.

“For three years there was no proper heating, and it was so cold that you could see your breath when you talked.

“Even though the coroner didn’t find direct proof that the house caused Luke’s death, we want to talk about the problems we faced.”

Ms Brooks said the family “felt ignored” by environmental health officers and described how her mother told Oldham Council that the family needed to be housed somewhere else before someone died.

She said: “Things need to change.

“Many people live in houses with mould but they’re scared to say anything because they worry their landlord will kick them out. Tenants should feel safe speaking up about their living conditions.”

Ms Brooks, who was flanked by her mother, Patricia, and father, James, said: “Our Luke was really something special.

“He had so many talents like drawing, cooking, singing and playing the piano.

“He didn’t always realise how amazing he was, but he was also really smart. We loved him a lot.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...