Nathan Lay

The Following statement was provided by Nathan’s brother:

Nathan and I enjoyed a happy childhood, growing up in a country setting adjacent to Nacton shores. We spent our days exploring, playing games, swimming, and enjoying the company of our large extended family . As we grew into our teens, we developed a fascination with motorcycles, often riding them around the fields . In our late teens, we moved to Ipswich, where Nathan got his full motorcycle license and began buying and selling bikes.

During our time in Ipswich, Nathan started to exhibit behavioural problems and was prone to aggressive outbursts. We moved out of home early and lived in Christchurch Street, where Nathan began his journey with drugs. In 1984, I went to the United States for two years, and upon my return, Nathan had deteriorated and seemed isolated. Over the next few years, Nathan's condition worsened, leading to multiple hospitalisations. Despite his struggles, Nathan was able to attend my marriage as my best man.

Nathan's episodes of illness increased over the years, and his recovery took longer. He often contacted my mother when he was in trouble, prompting calls to the Crisis Team. From my early 30s, I became more estranged from Nathan, but he continued to send small gifts to my children. Watching Nathan's deterioration was extremely upsetting for my family.

In January 2024, I was contacted by Nathan's housing support worker to collect a chainsaw from his flat. The condition of his flat was poor, and he had no food. I visited again to drop off supplies before he returned from the hospital. Nathan's neighbours were causing him problems, and he was filmed by them, which was posted on social media.

On May 13th, I visited Nathan's flat for the last time after he had passed away. The flat was in a terrible state, and it was clear he was unable to look after himself.

Nathan's final year was marked by a lack of support from the agencies responsible for his care. Whilst I remember a happy-go-lucky brother and some great times, the image I have in my head and that keeps coming back to haunt me is Nathan ending his days on the sofa in his living room without receiving any help from the multitude of agencies and individuals responsible for his care and wellbeing. He was left in a situation that made him believe no one cared about him. The number one thing that must change is that every process, procedure, policy, or assessment should treat individuals with dignity and compassion.