Asperger's victim cared for by council

A SHERIFF has granted the city council guardianship of a man suffering from Asberger's syndrome amid concerns that he was unable to look after himself properly.

Council chiefs went to court to request the guardianship order against the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after he was ordered to leave supported accommodation.

The man, who is aged around 39, was served with a notice to quit his tenancy at Gilmore Place in Bruntsfield due to "persistent problems with his personal hygiene and behaviour towards fellow residents and staff".

At a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, the court heard that the man suffered from the neurological condition which has "devastating effects on social functioning", leaving him unable to "understand the consequences of his actions".

The court heard that the prospects of the man "coping with independent living are very low".

New accommodation has been identified for the man in Blackfriars Street, where he will receive support from specialist agency Autism Initiatives.