Contact with police before a man died - Staffordshire Police, November 2018

Between August and November 2018 Staffordshire Police Service officers had direct and indirect contact with a man on five occasions.

On 18 August 2018, the man’s ex-wife contacted police to report that someone had poured petrol through her letter box. The log shows that she was known to be at high risk of domestic violence and there was a harassment/restraining order in place for the man. Officers went to speak to the man, but there was no indication that he was responsible. The following day the man visited a police station to complain about officers ‘harassing’ him in relation to his ex-wife.

On 10 September 2018, the man’s ex-wife reported to police that she had seen the man’s van in a car park that could only be accessed by her street. She stated that this was in breach of the harassment order. The matter was passed to the officer in charge and the log was closed.

On 24 October 2018, the man reported that he had been receiving phone calls at 3am where he was called by an offensive name. The log stated that the number of the caller used to belong to his ex-wife, but it was not her making the calls. The man said that he just wanted police to be aware in case further incidents occurred. A sergeant was said to have spoken to the man about the matter and the log was closed.

On 7 November 2018, the man called police stating someone had written ‘rest in peace’ on his garage door. He said that he had spoken to his ex-wife and she said she had nothing to do with it. He said he was not scared or worried, but ‘did not need this while he was trying to sell his house’. The incident was recorded in line with the man’s wishes and the log was closed.

On 9 November 2018 at 5.36pm, a member of the public contacted police stating he had not heard from his colleague (the man in question). The man’s supervisor had gone to the man’s home that night and there was no reply. He told police that the man had been having trouble with his ex-wife and was quite low, and that he was worried about him. Officers were deployed and at 6.37pm they found the man dead in his back garden. There were no suspicious circumstances.

Our investigators took accounts from those in regular contact with the man. They listened to the telephone recordings and airwaves transmissions and viewed the incident logs.

There were no indications relating to the man’s state of mental health to show he was a risk to himself. The evidence suggested that the police would not have been aware he might have been feeling suicidal, and therefore could not have intervened during any of their interactions with him. The evidence indicated that the police did not cause or contribute to the man’s death.

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. We completed our investigation in January 2019.