Man found dead after being reported missing - Greater Manchester Police, January 2018

Greater Manchester Police received a report of a man who was missing from home on 17 January 2018. The caller said that the man had diabetes and had not taken his medication, and that he had depression and had talked about killing himself within the last month.

Initially an officer went to the missing man’s home and conducted a full search of the property. It was noted on the police log that all rooms had been searched, including a garage and a chicken shed located in the rear garden.

On the morning of 18 January 2018, a different officer went to the home of the missing man and conducted a second search of the property. The missing man was found dead in the chicken shed in the back garden, with lacerations to his wrists.

Our investigators obtained witness statements from the man’s wife, the two police officers who conducted searches at the home of the missing man, and with the sergeant on duty during the initial search of the property. They analysed police logs and body-worn camera footage, along with the initial 999 call and radio transmissions.

Evidence indicated that the man was reported missing 12 hours after last being seen alive by his wife and found approximately 24 hours later. It is unclear whether he was already dead before he was reported missing, as it was not possible to establish a time of death. It was unclear whether a more thorough search of the property may have led to the man being found before he died. However, the man had taken steps to conceal himself within the chicken shed.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any person serving with the police may have behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings, or had committed a criminal offence.

However, we identified that one of the officers had not searched the chicken shed himself, but had relied on the man’s wife to look in his presence and report back. The officer mistakenly believed that this was in accordance with policy and did not accurately record what had actually occurred. We recommended individual learning and a debrief for the officer, in the form of management action. We completed our investigation in July 2018.

After reviewing our report, Greater Manchester Police agreed and advised that the officer would receive management action.