Edinburgh Council to investigate death of man found in city chambers toilet

City of Edinburgh Council will launch an investigation into the death of a “gentle giant” who was found in a city chambers toilet.

Sean Stephen was found dead in a toilet at the customer support hub on 7 July after he disappeared on 1 July.

Council leader Jane Meagher and other council group leaders paid tribute to the 38-year-old on Thursday at the first full council meeting since his death.

A family friend described Mr Stephen as a a loving man who had “his full life ahead of him”.

A source told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that his body was discovered by cleaning staff who had thought that the toilet door was locked for days due to the facility being out of order.

It is understood that security staff were supposed to check the toilets were empty at the end of every day as part of their rounds.

Mr Stephen’s body was found in an advanced stage of decomposition.

A fundraiser for Mr Stephen’s funeral raised more than £3,000 the month after he died.

Organiser Adele Ford described the death as “very unexpected”.

“He had his full life ahead of him, he was the most loving gentle giant you’d ever meet,” she added.

She described Mr Stephen as being widely known in his Southside of Edinburgh, and said his friends and family were “absolutely devastated” by his death.

Ms Meagher said the investigation would run alongside inquiries being carried out by Police Scotland.

The force previously said they were investigating his death but it was not thought to be suspicious.

His wife, Julie Stephen, had told the media she had reported him missing on 1 July.

She told police she last spoke to her husband on the phone that day when he was near the city chambers.

Additional reporting by local democracy reporter Joe Sullivan.