Bicester Advertiser
·Jul 2026
Family of Former Building Inspector Appeal Over Asbestos-Related Death
The family of former Cherwell District Council building inspector Richard Smith is asking former council employees to provide information about possible asbestos exposure during his work from 1975 onward. Smith carried out maintenance and inspections at homes, factories, garages and public buildings, including sites containing asbestos, and later died from pleural sarcomatoid mesothelioma in September 2024 at age 84. An inquest concluded that mesothelioma caused his death. His widow, Elizabeth Smith, has instructed Irwin Mitchell, whose lawyer Jasmine Hunte is investigating the source of the exposure and seeking evidence from colleagues who worked for the council between the 1970s and early 2000s.