Man’s house ‘smelled of urine, rot’

The first sign of an issue that police saw was the sight of a 92-year-old man dragging his swollen legs behind him to answer the door.

But what they found inside gave real cause for concern: a house smelling of urine and rot, a shower that looked unused, and an occupant with various medical issues.

The Crown says Bjorn Harold Hegh is responsible for the state that man, his grandfather Harold ‘‘Sandy’’ Hegh, was found in.

But the jury deciding Bjorn Hegh’s fate will not hear from Harold Hegh, who has since died.

Bjorn Hegh’s trial for neglecting his grandfather began in Palmerston North District Court yesterday. Crown prosecutor Sian Poulton said Bjorn Hegh became his grandfather’s fulltime caregiver in May 2015.

Harold Hegh suffered from a range of chronic illnesses, including high blood pressure and gout, and had a history of heart attacks.

Part of Bjorn Hegh’s job was to take his grandfather to the doctor, who said he needed check-ups every three months.

But Harold Hegh missed multiple appointments in a row, Poulton said.

Police became aware of the situation when they visited Harold Hegh’s O¯ taki house in January 2018. He used a walker to drag himself to the front door, and let police inside.

They found both a property and its occupant in a poor state.

Harold Hegh, then aged 92, had dried food encrusted into his clothing, while the stench of stale urine permeated the house.

Rotten food in the fridge and on benches added to the aroma, as did bags of rubbish and dirty dishes in the kitchen.

The toilet seat was covered in urine, while the shower and bath were coated in dust, indicating they had not been used for some time. Harold Hegh was taken to hospital to treat various issues, including infections and untreated gout, and he remained in hospital for some time.

The jury would hear from ambulance and police officers, doctors and neighbours, Poulton said. Although Hegh has since died, Poulton made it clear that was not due to anything his grandson did.

Defence lawyer Paul Knowsley said there was not a lot in dispute, including the fact Harold Hegh ‘‘had some issues’’ that required hospital treatment.

But the jury would need to figure out if Bjorn Hegh’s care was so bad to be criminal neglect. ‘

There was also the issue of whether Harold Hegh was able to make up his own mind about how he lived.

St John Ambulance officer Sharon McNabb said Harold Hegh had to be carried out of the house having no strength in his legs. His gout was so bad he had developed gout crystals; his skin flaked off on to ambulance staff because it was so dry; and he had weeping sores between his toes.