Bath Chronicle

‘Threats have forced us to move’ - mum

- Imogen Mcguckin imogen.mcguckin@reachplc.com

A Bath woman claims she has been forced to move out of her home after receiving terrifying threats.

Rhi Clarke, a mum-of-three, has lived in her Curo property for 11 months and asked the housing associatio­n for another direct let.

The 26-year-old said the threats came from someone she knew and that the only way to keep her children safe was to move out of Bath.

She explained: “I am not living in my property at the minute because I am not safe there.

“I’ve been receiving threats, and this particular person threatened to come round and get my kids taken away from me.

“I am having to stay with my kids’ dad, but he only rents a room so we are having to share a room with two of the girls.

“Luckily someone else who lives in the house has let us use their room too while they’re away.”

Rhi suffers from borderline personalit­y disorder and said that moving out five weeks ago had taken its toll on her mental health.

She said she had begged Curo for another home and nothing had been available, but that the council had offered her a refuge place.

❝ This particular person threatened to come round and get my kids taken away from me Rhi Clarke

However, due to Rhi’s history of mental health issues, her caseworker felt that refuge would cause her mental state to deteriorat­e.

The mum-of-three said she had made attempts on her life before and that finding a safe home was “critical”.

Curo declined to comment on Ms Clarke’s situation, but Bath and North East Somerset Council offered some advice.

Councillor Tom Davies, the council’s cabinet member for adults and council house building, said: “Our Homesearch social housing allocation scheme helps people to find a home and considers the needs of each applicant on an individual basis.

“We would encourage Ms Clarke and all applicants with changing circumstan­ces to ensure that their applicatio­ns are updated so we can make sure they are appropriat­ely prioritise­d.

“Applicatio­ns can be made or updated online at https://www. homesearch­bathnes.org.uk/ or by calling the team directly on 01225 396118.”

 ??  ?? Rhi Clarke with her three children
Rhi Clarke with her three children

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