A man who once weighed 55-stone and was considered Britain's 'fattest man' has died aged 37. Matthew Crawford, whose family are from Nottinghamshire, made headlines when he took up an entire bay on a ward and four hospital beds because he was too obese to move.
As reported by the Mirror, was also uproar in 2018 when it was revealed his care had been costing King’s Mill Hospital thousands of pounds. It was claimed he habitually ordered pizzas and Chinese takeaways to be eaten in hospital - something he denied.
He was finally discharged from the hospital a year later into a specially-adapted care facility. A friend said footy-obsessed Matthew had joined Slimming World in a bid to lose weight for good.
It has now emerged the football fan - who was known on the terraces as Fat Kid - died last week as a result of sepsis and organ failure. He previously hit back at his critics, responding to claims he was using his benefits to order takeaways from his hospital bed.
He wrote: “If you all knew the truth you would think different. I've not had a takeaway for months and even before that, I would have one every couple of weeks.
“The only food my mum brings in for me is some haslet and pickle cobs which I have instead of a hospital dinner. I was originally admitted I was seriously ill with sepsis and I took a lot of persuading for them to take me to hospital.
“Social services didn't do anything to help find me a placement for nearly three months until the hospitals legal team got involved.” His reinforced bed cost the NHS an eye-watering £7,000-a-week to rent, with his overall care estimated at £40,000-a-month.
Crawford posed in bed holding a champagne bottle in a previous care home and posted the snap on social media. When he was charged with assaulting nurses months later, his solicitor said he was too heavy to attend court in Mansfield.
Michael Little said: “They do have ambulances big enough to support him, but then the consideration becomes how to get him into court.” He was said to have spent cash from his fortnightly £300 Employment Support Allowance on takeaways he ordered from his bed.
He complained about the food in the home, posting: “Just want to set the record straight, I don't spend all my money on takeaways.
“I might get 300 quid a fortnight but I spend over 100 quid every fortnight on food shopping. If people tasted the food in this place you would know why I buy my own food.”
Matthew was convicted in 2018 of assaulting four nurses at a care home near Newark, and ordered to pay them compensation. His solicitor Michael Little told magistrates he was too heavy to attend the hearing.
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