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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to go NC with DF

13 replies

Linzerelli13 · 15/05/2018 12:34

long post, Sorry! My DF is 74. He separated from my DM around 12 years ago although they remained amicable for the mostpart and have remained friendly and see each other quiet regularly.
In August 2016 I became aware that my DF had a new 'friend' from the pub. Let's call her J. Now, J is in her late 30's and only a little bit older than me. She's also a heroin addict and someone that I am aware has a past as a sex trade worker. Not exactly who you want your vulnerable old DF having in his flat.
Anyway, I asked him who she was and he gave me a sob story of how she was raped and he was looking after her for a couple of weeks until she felt up to returning to the YMCA where she was staying.
That couple of weeks has turned into 19 months. During that 19 months she has: stolen his car x4, crashed and written off his car causing his motability vehicle being removed, assaulted him x 5 (that i know of), imprisoned him in his flat at least twice, tried accessing his online banking on several occasions, managed to obtain his pin code and bank cards and taken in excess of £7000, moved her girlfriend, Let's call her B, into the flat with her, they've had my dad driving drug dealers around, been taking drugs in his flat, stolen and traded in his property, and had a robbery staged whereby my DF was punched in the face and his car keys stolen although he managed to stay in the car. There's probably more but i can't remember all of the incidents.
Every time the police have become involved he has either declined to support a prosecution from the start or has withdrawn his statement at a later date. He will fall out with them for a couple of days but then they'll be back in his flat, living Scott free and creaming him for every penny hes got.
I have tried to speak to him about it logically. The police have tried. My DM has tried. Social services have tried. He will not see sense. He just keeps saying that they're his friends and what do i want him to do, sit in his flat watching TV all day?
I should add that my DF has a heart condition and has been in and out of coronary care for the last 6 years. He's also diabetic and not a young 74.
I have tried everthing that i can to help him but he is not willing to accept help.
He has tried having these women talk on the phone to my 3yo DD and asked if he could bring them round at Xmas which he was flatly told no and we do not want drugs around the DC.
Fast forward to Monday, I missed a call from my DF and he accidentally left a voicemail. During the call I could hear someone asking about seizing his clothing for evidence. Obviously the police.
So I called back and asked what was going on. He said he'd been arrested and taken to a neighbours house all day whilst the police searched his flat. He couldn't tell me what for or any other details so i called 101. They assured me that they had been in contact with DF and that someone would call to update me. I then got a call from CID who told me that he'd been falsely imprisoned in his flat again and knocked unconscious. When he came round he'd climbed through a window and shouted until neighbours heard him and called the police. J and B had been arrested and would be interviewed in the morning. He was going to be interviewed by specialist officers to take his account and they'd updaye me. Next day I got a call from the officer dealing with the case who advised that my DFs story had changed quite a bit and he seemed a bit confused. I asked that he be assessed for capacity as he has been forgetting a lot lately. He was assessed and deemed to have capacity but making poor choices. J and B denied all in interview. They gave some bullshit story about how they care about him and he's a friend. They also said that they have been supplying DF with drugs.
I went to see him to confront him about it all. He said that the police were lying and he'd just had a diabetic episode and that J and B were helping him. He doesn't know how the police came to be involved. When I asked him about the drugs he denied it but eventually admitted to smoking a crack pipe with them every now and then!!!!
I was mortified and told him that whilst he's acting like an idiot he isn't allowed contact with DC and I won't have anything to do with him. Ive tried to help numerous times but he isn't willing to accept it. I said if he agrees to accept help from the safeguarding team, move flat and cut all ties then he can see us all again but if not then he will miss out on the last few years he has with my 2 DC and me. He just shrugged his shoulders!
I feel gutted about it all. AIBU to cut all contact given how old and frail he is? I'm certain he doesn't have more than 5 years left in him, if he's lucky. We didn't have the best relationship to start with buy FFS his DGC should be worth more to him that that! He's chosing them over his family! Sad

OP posts:
FASH84 · 15/05/2018 13:22

Adult social care should be notified of changes your dad is a vulnerable adult.

FASH84 · 15/05/2018 13:22

Sorry should just say if your dad is vulnerable adult

MightyMucks · 15/05/2018 13:42

It’s cuckooing:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-hampshire-40361324/cuckooing-drug-dealers-target-the-vulnerable

You need to put pressure on the police to deal with this. I understand they can get orders banning anyone but the tenant to stay at an address.

Linzerelli13 · 15/05/2018 13:48

The police have been brilliant so far in trying to help but they stumble every time as he has capacity and will not cooperate with the investigation.
I will have a look and enquire about a banning order type thing as i think this is the only option we haven't explored. Will give that a read @mightymucks I had hoped that he'd fail his capacity assessment so i could assume living power of attorney and force the issue.

OP posts:
FASH84 · 15/05/2018 14:20

OP if he had capacity and isn't assessed as vulnerable unfortunately there's little you, police or social care can do. It definitely sounds like cuckooing or at least targeting and abusing someone vulnerable, is there anyway he'd move closer to you?

RosaGertrudeJekyll · 15/05/2018 14:46

just wanted to commiserate as this is night mare situation.

I do think there must be a way through and I do think the police can do more and ss as he is vulnerable.

keep pushing maybe even try and go for power of attorney.

can you have him over more or even go on holiday with him...get him away from them and out of the situation...then see what happens.

Linzerelli13 · 15/05/2018 14:53

Several vulnerable adult referrals have been made by the police but unfortunately there's little they can do as he has capacity and refuses help.
I have tried getting him to move. We are in a small town and he only lives 10 minutes away from me by car but he isn't interested in the slightest. He likes his flat as it's close to his local pub. I pleaded with him to move into sheltered accommodation and make new friends with more appropriate people but he just said he likes his life and doesn't want me interfering.
I just feel like I'm in an exhausting situation with no way out. I thought that by giving him an ultimatum he might have given it more thought but honestly, He doesn't give a shit! My dad has never previosuly been into drugs or anything and I don't even recognise the man he is any more

OP posts:
RatherBeRiding · 15/05/2018 15:01

At the moment, sadly, I think there is very little you can do as he keeps passing the capacity assessments.

However, given his age and state of health then it is likely that, sooner or lately, his capacity will decline and then you should be able to do something as he will finally be classed as a vulnerable adult and the local safeguarding services will have to take an interest.

At the moment, although he sounds frail and is obviously exercising extremely poor judgment, if he is deemed to have capacity he is allowed to make unwise decisions, even if those decisions are patently not in his best interests.

I'd keep an eye on him, in your shoes. Sooner or later he will not have the same level of capacity.

Fatted · 15/05/2018 15:02

Without going into too much, I've experienced similar with a family member in a relationship with someone involved in drugs, being violent towards them and basically just nothing but a nightmare.

In the end, I just had to cease contact. It's not nice, but there is only so much you can do to help someone who doesn't want to help themselves. Make it clear that you will have a place for your DF, but not while he's destroying his life and exposing you and your family to things you're not comfortable with. The final straw was when relative attempted suicide because of it all, their 'partner' was the only person who didn't give a crap and didn't even come to the hospital to see them. 2 days later they got back together!

Linzerelli13 · 15/05/2018 16:54

Oh no @ratherberiding that sounds awful.
I just feel so hopeless in it all. I'd considered seeking legal advice but i don't think there's anything that i can do as he consents to everything that's occurring.

OP posts:
Linzerelli13 · 15/05/2018 16:55

Sorry i meant @fatted

OP posts:
MightyMucks · 15/05/2018 17:02

linz, how is his engagement with health services? Could you talk to his GP yourself and see if a push could be made for some sort of diagnosis which might help with getting his capacity assessed? Also, how are his relations with his neighbours? Neighbours complaints about anti-social behaviour are often the most effective way to get cuckoos dealt with. So if you have contact with them it might be worth encouraging them to report.

Otherwise I think NC sounds like a good idea. Maybe tell him that when the drugs and these people are out of his life your door is open. Otherwise losing his family might bring him to his senses.

Angie169 · 15/05/2018 17:48

It sounds like you are living a nightmare !

a couple of short term options to shake him out of this situation

A holiday with you and DC , A week or two away from them may help him to see things a bit more clearly.

A holiday ( perhaps 'won' so he does not suspect any thing ) with someone in his local ( with you footing at least part of the bill )

you collude with a friend of his that 'needs some where to stay' that is young / fit enough to give the cuckoos the elbow .

You say he wont stay with you , but is their a friend he can / will stay with ?

Is there a social club you could take him to so he can make more suitable friends ?

Drug rehab clinic ?

In each case change the locks and put dead bolts on the doors.

Longer term ,
he needs help but it is to much for you to take on alone , it needs a professional , try CAB see what they recommend .
keep the police involved ,ask neighbours to keep ringing the police when there is any ( even tiny ) issues.
See if BT / mobile provider can block all calls except the ones you want him to receive , It wont stop the scum from ringing out but at least dealers wont be able to phone him .
Get power of attorney , then ask the bank to reduce his ATM card to its lowest amount per day ( £50 I think for most banks ) and stop all credit cards / over drafts etc .

have one more conversation with your DD , explain to him that this is the last time he will see you and his DG if he carries one allowing them gits to ruin his life .
But you must be prepared to walk away from everything at that point . But If that is what is best for you and DC then that is what you must do .

I hope you manage to get this sortied out sending you [hugs] and Flowers

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