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'I was stabbed while I slept in an HMO - it should have been prevented'

Rachael Lewisin Birmingham
News imageBBC A woman with bright pink and purple hair looking into the camera. She is wearing a green top with a blue and white check over-shirt. Behind her is a number of trees in a pedestrian square that has benches to sit on. BBC
Tia-Trance Copper was asleep at her house of multiple occupancy (HMO) when she was stabbed in the head and leg on New Years Eve 2024

A young woman who was stabbed while she slept in a house of multiple occupancy (HMO) believes the attack could have been prevented.

Student Tia-Trance Copper, 19, was in her room when she was allegedly set upon by a house-mate and sustained head and leg wounds, on New Years Eve 2024.

Another woman aged 20 and a 25-year-old man were also attacked as they tried to defend Copper, at the house on Doncaster Way in Hodge Hill, Birmingham.

They were all living with Earl Johnson, 64, who was later accused of attempted murder, but died from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in HMP Birmingham a few days later.

In the weeks before the attack, Copper says that on numerous occasions she reported "being intimidated" by the alleged perpetrator to Focal Housing, the firm managing the property on behalf of owners Windrush Housing.

"I think if they had acted on it, it wouldn't have happened," she told the BBC.

"Because any sane person would have seen those two complaints and the fact that he had threatened me, and they would have kicked him out."

Windrush Alliance UK CIC and Focal Housing have both declined to provide the BBC with a statement.

News imageA house with police tape in front of it, with a small garden laid to lawn, with a diagonal path leading to a white front door, which is open.
Another woman aged 20 and a 25-year-old man were also attacked during the incident at the house, on Doncaster Way, Hodge Hill

It has since emerged that in 2006, Johnson was sentenced to life in prison for wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. He served eight years before being released on parole in 2014.

In the light of the case, Copper believes he should not have been housed with three young adults.

"At the end of the day I am classed a vulnerable adult, I was 18 at the time. Especially considering he had been arrested previously. There was no accountability," she said.

In 2023, Windrush Housing was subjected to an investigation by the Regulator of Social Housing, which found there was "a fundamental breakdown in governance, and uncertainty regarding board level control and the make-up of senior management".

News imageTia-Trance Cooper A shot of a woman's head from above. It shows two knife injuries on her forehead, one of which has dried blood coming from the wound.Tia-Trance Cooper
Tia-Trance Copper sustained head and leg injuries in the attack, when she was set upon as she slept at the house of multiple occupancy (HMO)

A spokesperson for the regulator told the BBC: "We are unable to comment on individual providers beyond what is published in our judgements."

"However, we can confirm that Windrush is not delivering the outcomes of our standards and significant change is needed.

"We are continuing to engage with them regularly to ensure they put things right,as soon possible."

Richard Blanco, from the National Residential Landlords Association, has issued advice about what people can do if they feel concerned about another person they are living with, in an HMO.

"If you are in immediate danger, then do contact the police of course, if you are concerned and have a bad feeling about something, then do contact your landlord," he said.

"If your landlord is unresponsive, then do contact the local authority, they will have a service to support tenants in HMOs. They have to be licensed."

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