Lee Halpin, a young film-maker seeking to film a documentary about the hardships of being homeless by living as one, was found dead in the streets a few days later.
Lee was investigating the rise in homelessness and the repercussions of the 'bedroom tax' in the North East. His body was found in a derelict hostel on Westgate Road in the city's West End.
He was following the story as part of a call by Channel 4's Dispatches on 'fearless journalism' to win a 12-month contract. He had set out to "sleep rough, scrounge for my food, interact with homeless people and immerse myself in that lifestyle as deeply as I can".
Lee believed the issue of homelessness was "politically, socially and culturally" important, especially in the region. Official figures from March show homelessness has increased 10% in the last year and, according to his contact at the Crisis Centre in the city, the figure of those sleeping rough had risen by 31%.
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