A terminally ill London man has revealed how he was forced to sleep on night buses and wash in McDonald's toilets after being evicted from his temporary accommodation by Islington Council.
A month of sleeping rough with terminal cancer
Shaner Osman, 60, who has terminal myeloma cancer, spent nearly four weeks homeless after bailiffs drilled the door off his temporary housing in October. The eviction left him with nothing but the clothes on his back and his crutches.
"I was in tears because I didn't know what I'd done wrong," Shaner told reporters. "I could barely eat and barely sleep at night. Apart from three days I was on the streets for an entire month. I was sleeping in McDonald's and on buses and having to wear nappies."
The cancer patient, who is undergoing chemotherapy, described wearing the same clothes throughout his ordeal and said the experience was so traumatic that "going back to prison would have been a better option".
Council accused of ignoring medical advice
Housing campaigner Kwajo Tweneboa, who is supporting Shaner's case, revealed that the eviction proceeded despite doctors advising against it due to Shaner's fragile health condition.
During the eviction, bailiffs reportedly filled two bags with Shaner's possessions - including his crucial cancer medication and identity documents - before locking them inside the property he was being removed from. Islington Council has since admitted that a "significant amount" of these belongings remain missing.
The council claims it had no statutory duty to house Shaner after previously registering him as 'intentionally homeless' due to a recall to prison two years earlier. However, they acknowledged housing him in temporary accommodation for nearly two years, which they described as going "beyond government guidance".
Uninhabitable property offers and looming deadline
Since the social media outcry in November, the council has placed Shaner in temporary accommodation, but his future remains uncertain with his current placement due to expire on Wednesday, November 26.
Shaner has been shown several permanent properties that campaigners describe as completely unsuitable for his medical needs. One property in Finsbury Park was "totally waterlogged" and uninhabitable, while another in Palmers Green was covered in mould and damp - particularly dangerous for Shaner who also suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
During one property viewing, the landlord was 90 minutes late, during which time Shaner suffered an asthma attack, passed out, and required hospital treatment.
Mr Tweneboa has demanded that Islington Council conduct proper health inspections of any properties offered to Shaner, stating: "Their improper way of doing things has had this man thrown out into the road like he's a piece of rubbish."
Council Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, Cllr John Woolf, said the council was "deeply concerned" by the case and confirmed they would speak with the letting agency that handled the eviction to ensure any lost property is returned.
