Body found in rough sleepers' shelter in Yorkshire just days after Christmas

Karina Wilkinson, of the Hull Homeless and Rootless Project (HARP), said she feared the body could be Adam Pregowski’s who she described as lovely person who fell on hard times. She added Hull City Council was aware of Mr Pregowski, a Polish national who struggled to get support following Brexit, and claimed his death could have been avoided with help.

A spokesperson for the Salvation Army, which runs William Booth House, said they were sad to confirm the death and their thoughts and prayers were with surviving family and friends.

Coun Jan Loft, Hull City Council’s housing and homelessness portfolio holder, said the authority would look at what lessons could be learned following a coroner’s report on the death. It comes after the body of a man was found in William Booth House, in Hessle Road, on the morning of Tuesday, December 27 but the identity remains unconfirmed.

The Salvation Army’s spokesperson said they had arrived at the hostel the night before on Boxing Day after being brought in under the council’s Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP). It is understood council coroners have received a referral for an Adam Pregowski, but their investigations are in their early stages and they are yet to confirm his death or the cause.

Mr Pregowski, originally from Wroclaw in Poland, came to Hull in around 2016. He told Hull Live in an interview in 2021 that the death of his mother alongside breaking up with his long-term girlfriend triggered a mental breakdown. The turn of events and the toll on his mental health landed in on the street in 2018 and addiction to drugs and alcohol followed, but he was working to turn his life around and by 2021 he said he was drink and drugs free.

Ms Wilkinson, who knew the 40-year-old personally, said the death showed the failure of the system to help the homeless in Hull.

The charity worker said: “I understand Adam was taken into the hostel after bad weather, if it wasn’t for the protocol requiring homeless people to be taken in he would have been found on the streets. I’ve known him for about two years because I was trying to help him get his settled status from the Home Office. He was such a lovable character, he was a really happy-go-lucky guy.

“It’s the system that’s failed him, the council was aware of him but because of his situation being a Polish national he had no recourse to public funds. He worked before he became homeless and before the UK left the EU, but he didn’t understand the importance of getting his settled status at the time. We even offered for him to be repatriated but he didn’t want to go back, since his mother died he has no one in Poland, this is his home.

“Because of that he was left in limbo, if he’d have gotten more support he’d still be here. He was still a relatively young man, it’s a waste of a life and it shouldn’t have gotten to this stage. One death is one too many, and there’s been multiple deaths of homeless people and rough sleepers. They don’t really have anywhere to go, there’s the emergency shelters but they’re kicked out of them in the morning and left in the freezing cold all day.”

Coun Loft said the council worked with local charities to support Hull’s homeless.

The portfolio holder said: “We are saddened to hear of the death of this person. The council works very closely with other agencies and voluntary sector partners to provide wrap-around support for people who are affected by severe and multiple disadvantages. Support offered includes accommodation, substance misuse support, access to benefits, advice and support to apply for settled status, mental and physical health and general wellbeing.

“Once we have the coroner’s report into the cause of death, we will work with our partners to consider any lessons that can be learned.”

The Salvation Army spokesperson said: “We are sad to confirm that one of the people staying with us as part of our emergency shelter services passed away. Our thoughts and prayers are with their family and friends. Although not a Lifehouse resident, they had spent a number of nights at William Booth House as part of our emergency cold weather provision and will also be missed by our staff and other regular residents.”