'Shoot me' says son in home row

- Thursday, August 13, 2009

A Paralysed soldier fighting to get a disabled-friendly home from the council has said he would rather be shot than accept the property he has been offered.

His father, Shaun Morrell, is desperate to get the help needed to bring his son, Liam, home.

The 18-year-old was paralysed from the waist down during a military exercise with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in Kenya last January.

His dad has said he is "disgusted" with the council.

Liam wants to live within easy travelling distance of his father's Trimsaran home.

The Star has learned that Carmarthenshire Council has offered him a property in Pencader.

Mr Morrell said: "I'm totally disgusted with the council.

"My family feel really let down.

"We are horrified. It's in the middle of nowhere. It's a quarter of a mile to the shop.

"He is in a wheelchair, and the house is a tip.

"The walls are bare, there's concrete on the floor.

"The council say he has to decorate it himself and put new flooring down himself and find the money himself.

"I thought things would get better, but they seem to get worse."

He said the house was on the top of a hill and he had received a letter telling him to be aware it was a final offer.

Mr Morrell said: "I explained to Liam. He's horrified. He said, 'Dad they might as well shoot me'."

Liam is just weeks from leaving a specialist medical centre in Brecon.

Carmarthenshire Council area housing manager Jonathan Morgan said: "Neither Mr Morrell or his son has been given any ultimatum, and we have had ongoing dialogue over the last few days to try to resolve issues.

"I have arranged a meeting with Mr Morrell on Monday to discuss the suitability of the property his son has been offered.

"We do not currently have a suitable property available in the area they wish," he added.

"That is a fact, and there is nothing within our control that we can do to change that situation.

"However, because the situation is desperate, we have offered Mr Morrell a property.

"There are few suitable ones available, so the choice of area is limited.

"We have 7,000 people on the housing waiting list, with varying degrees of need, and unfortunately we cannot accommodate most of these because there is very little housing available.

"While we totally sympathise with Mr Morrell's situation, it is not fair or factual to apportion the blame for the lack of a suitable property in a particular area on the county council," said Mr Morgan.

Story Credit - www.thisissouthwales.co.uk