Investigation and inquest
On 4 November 2024, one of my assistant coroners, Ian Potter, commenced an investigation into the death of Pellumb Olaj aged 42 years. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest earlier today.
I made a determination of death by suicide.
Circumstances of the death
Pellumb Olaj jumped from the sixth floor balcony outside his flat at approximately 10.42am on 30 October 2024 and was killed instantly.
Coroner’s concerns
Mr Olaj had paranoid schizophrenia and had attempted to kill himself in the past, including by trying to jump from a high window on more than one occasion, but Islington Council failed to take that into account in 2020 when housing him in a sixth floor property.
I heard at inquest that, in preparing for inquest (not immediately following Mr Olaj’s death), Islington has now recognised the need to take such matters into account, but I am not clear that it has mapped a way to do this for new and existing tenants.