Tragic Shaun Tate’s body has been left in cold storage for almost a year because his warring mum and girlfriend can’t agree on where he should be buried.

Shaun who died aged 34 on July 14 last year (2006) has been left on a mortuary slab ever since as the bitter row between the two women rumbles on.

Mum Janet Garrod, 57, wants her son to buried near the family home in Southend, Essex, but Ruby Whitney, 44, Shaun’s former partner,  wants him laid to rest near Lidlington in Bedfordshire where she lives.

Because both women refuse to back down, Shaun’s corpse has been left on ice in Basildon Hospital.

“It’s evil that we cannot lay his body to rest,” Mrs Garrod of Rayleigh, Essex, said.

“Shaun grew up around here and this should be his final resting place.

But Miss Whitney, who has a six year old daughter called Julie by Shaun, hit back: “I want Shaun near my home so that his daughter and I can visit his grave.”

The battle now looks set to go to the High Court in London so that a judge can decide who has the legal right to bury the body.

The dispute arose when Southend Coroner’s office said Shaun’s daughter Julie was technically his next of kin but because she is only six it would be up to Miss Whitney and Mrs Garrod to come to an agreement over where to bury him.

Last week Southend Coroner’s Court heard Shaun died of a heroin overdose after he was found dead in a flat in the town.

But coroner Peter Dean recorded an open verdict after the inquest heard he was not a heroin user and that it was unlikely he could have injected himself.

He was with friends who called an ambulance at the time of his death and Mr Dean recorded an open verdict because he said there were “unanswered questions”.

The coroner had to investigate the circumstances of Shaun’s death because he did not die of natural causes.

Now the inquest has been held a death certificate can be issued and the family can ask a judge to rule on what should happen to his body.

Mrs Garrod and Shaun’s step dad Barrie, 55, have built a shrine in their back garden where they pay their respects.

Mrs Garrod said: “It is if Shaun is undead because we can’t bury him. We have no grave to take flowers to. We just want him to have some dignity.

He was a wonderful son. He wasn’t a heroin addict. He tried it once and it cost him his life. I can’t believe Ruby has dug her heels in over this. It has torn our family apart. We have been told we will have to go to the High Court to sort it all out but we don’t have the money for that. Nobody has helped us. The coroner says it is not his responsibility to settle the dispute.

Miss Whitney added: “Janet and Barrie and I have tried to get on over the years – especially after Shaun’s death – but we have never seen eye to eye on anything.

“Julie is the main reason I will never let them have Shaun.”

Coroner’s officer Paul Gammon said: “This whole affair is very upsetting for all concerned but the coroner does not have the authority to make the decision about where the body should be buried.

“If no compromise can be reached the matter will have to be settled in court.

Comments (3) >>

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written by Claire, July 13, 2007

Why would Janet not want her son to be buried where his beloved daughter could visit her father's grave. She can travel to see his grave whenever she wants. To leave her son's body in a mortuary is unbelievable just to get back at someone she hates - no wonder she can't sleep at night. Not only has she lost a son but a grandaughter as well.

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written by Kerry Charles, May 16, 2007

bonkers. people waste their time. if they really loved shaun they'd just let him be buried.

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written by pete, May 16, 2007

Bizarre. Why do people do this to each other? Mind if I bang their heads together?

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