Tell me how my husband died

9:46am Wednesday 19th November 2003

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ANDREW Jordan was 28. He was married with a four-year-old daughter and part of a close-knit family. Andrew, from Erith, was an ex-pupil of the former Picardy School, Belvedere. He suffered from depression. Andrew Jordan is also dead.

He died on October 7 after being taken by ambulance under police escort to Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup.

He died after staff, including a psychiatrist, from Oxleas NHS Trust called at his Erith home by appointment to take him into hospital to reassess him.

He died after up to 10 police officers burst into his house. He died with two black eyes, cuts to both his eyes and a damaged nose.

Now his family is demanding answers to the many questions surrounding Andrew’s death.

At the weekend, the family, from Belvedere, protested outside Bexleyheath police station demanding justice.

They say Andrew was not a violent man. Although he was over 6ft tall and well built, he had no history of violence or criminal activity.

But on that fateful day, the Oxleas staff who knocked at his house to take him to hospital never went in after arriving at his door.

Instead, up to 14 police officers were called.

About four hours later, Andrew was carried out of his home, apparently unconscious, dressed only in his underwear.

Shortly after reaching Queen Mary’s Hospital, Sidcup, in an ambulance under police escort, Andrew was pronounced dead.

His parents, minicab driver David Jordan, 49, his mother Theresa 49, and Andrew’s widow, Savitri, 26, want to know how and why he died.

They cannot understand why Oxleas staff turned up at his home at about 10.45am on October 7 accompanied by two police officers, as well as the ambulance, to take him to hospital.

Mr Jordan said Oxleas told the family on October 6 it wanted to admit Andrew to the Woodlands Unit at Queen Mary’s, a unit he was familiar with, to reassess him.

Despite being available at home, and only minutes away from Andrew’s house, the Jordans were never told of any problems in getting Andrew to hospital. There had never been problems before.

The Police Complaints Authority (PCA) has launched an investigation into Andrew’s death. It has told the family when Oxleas and the two police officers arrived at Andrew’s home, there was an argument.

In a statement, one officer confirmed he had not suffered any injury or harm.

Yet his colleague called for assistance and between 12 and 14 officers arrived at the house. A neighbour says at least nine of them went into the small one-bedroom maisonette.

The PCA has also told the family Andrew was punched in the face three times by one of the police officers.

After being carried out of the house, he was laid on the concrete path. But he did not receive any medical treatment. Instead, he was carried into the waiting ambulance, accompanied by three police officers.

The ambulance, with a police car in front and behind, set off to hospital. But instead of heading for the nearest accident and emergency department at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, in Woolwich, the ambulance went to Queen Mary’s.

And instead of taking the shortest route to Sidcup, the ambulance chose to travel via Crayford, using a road which had a width restrictor which had to be unlocked. The family has been told the ambulance stopped twice en route to the hospital. During one of the stops, an attempt was made to resuscitate Andrew.

Completely unaware of what had been going on, the family received a shock telephone call at 2.45pm from a member of Oxleas’ staff to tell them Andrew was dead.

A post-mortem examination into the cause of Andrew’s death has so far proved inconclusive and more tests are being carried out.

Now, with the help of a solicitor, the Jordans are trying to piece together what happened during Andrew’s last hours and how he ended up dead. And they are left with many unanswered questions:

• They want to know what the Oxleas staff who went to Andrew’s home were doing. Despite having a prearranged appointment with Andrew and the apparent problems in getting him to hospital, the Jordans want to know why the staff never attempted to intervene in the situation and never set foot inside Andrew’s house.

• They want to know why so many police officers were called to their son’s house. They say Andrew had no history of violence and the police officer in the house with him has stated he suffered no harm or injury.

• They want to know why, when Andrew was carried, apparently unconscious, from his home and laid on the concrete outside, he was not given immediate medical attention.

• They want to know why, when he was being carried in the ambulance with a police escort and blue lights, Andrew was not taken to the nearest hospital for urgent medical treatment.

• After choosing to go to the Sidcup hospital instead, why didn’t the ambulance take the most direct and shortest route?

• And why have none of the police officers, including the one who punched Andrew in the face three times, been suspended from duty while the investigation takes place?

As well as the investigation by the PCA, the London Ambulance Service and Oxleas have launched their own inquiries.

Oxleas says the family will be involved and will be invited to meet the inquiry panel and ask questions.

Mr Jordan says he and his wife and daughter Amanda were threatened with arrest during their protest outside Bexleyheath police station at the weekend, but he says that will not prevent them from staging more demonstrations. He also hopes posters proclaiming Justice for Andrew will start appearing in local shops and in supporters’ windows.

A spokesman for Bexleyheath police said it was not able to comment while the investigation takes place. She added: “Everyone has the right to peacefully demonstrate.”

The family’s solicitor, Susie Yau, told News Shopper: “Andrew was not a criminal. He had no history of violence. The evidence does not suggest he was under arrest on any grounds whatsoever.

“Answers must be forthcoming on the vital concerns raised by my clients. We hope the coroner will carry out a vigorous inquiry and thus establish how, when and where Andrew died.” Mr Jordan says the family asked police to put up a witness board near Andrew’s home, appealing for people who had seen anything, to come forward, but nothing has been done.

He is anxious to hear from anyone who witnessed events at Andrew’s home to call the family through News Shopper on 01689 885723 or email lpiper@london.newsquest.co.uk