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Affair row before chief's death Police chief sent 'suicide' texts
(about 2 hours later)
The wife of a police chief was told he was having an affair days before he was found dead on Mount Snowdon, an inquest in Caernarfon, north Wales, has heard. A police chief sent text messages saying he was in "a dark place" and expressing a wish to kill himself just days before he died, an inquest heard.
The body of Greater Manchester Police chief constable Michael Todd, 50, was discovered in March shortly after he sent a series of "worrying" texts. Greater Manchester Police chief constable Michael Todd was found dead on Snowdon, north Wales, in March.
Mrs Todd had confronted her husband a few days previously after being informed of an extra-marital liaison. The 50-year-old father-of-three had been confronted by his wife Carolyn about an extra-marital affair a few days before his body was discovered.
Once searchers knew this "alarm bells" started ringing, the inquest heard. His final text message read: "I'm sorry... forgive me in another life."
Greater Manchester Deputy Chief Constable Dave Whatton told the hearing a senior officer with the force had visited Mrs Todd's home in Halam, Nottinghamshire, when Mr Todd's disappearance became known. He also sent an email to his wife apologising for his actions and admitting he had been ill for a long time and had "destroyed himself".
He said: "We were told about an incident on the Thursday where Mrs Todd was confronted about an affair that Mr Todd was having and she had spoken to Mr Todd. The inquest in Caernarfon, north Wales, heard Mr Todd, from Halam, Nottinghamshire, had visited suicide websites and had aborted one attempt at suicide shortly before he died.
"That started alarms bell ringing. It changed the whole view of the search." Det Sgt Kevin Evans said he had been through Mr Todd's mobile phone and email records and had identified significant messages to people, referred in the hearing only by a letter at coroner Dewi Pritchard-Jones's insistence.
The court heard Mr Whatton had received a text on the Saturday saying he would not be in work on Monday and may go for a walk to clear his head, which was not unusual behaviour for him. Not your fault.... remember the good times". Text sent by Michael Todd
DCC Dave Whatton was the first witness called Mr Evans said Mr Todd had admitted to his wife having an affair with person A on Thursday 6 March.
He told North Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard-Jones he had not noticed any change in Mr Todd's manner before his disappearance. The police chief spoke to A the following day saying it was a "nightmare scenario" and he needed a "week to sort his affairs and then he would kill himself", and asked A to obtain sleeping pills.
"We had a number meetings that were going extremely well and there was no change in the way he conducted himself during that week," he said. He sent further messages to B, a Metropolitan Police employee, and C, apologising for "being a pain" and used the internet to look up methods of carrying out suicide before sending a message to person D saying he was "fed up and not in a good place".
Mr Todd's driver raised the alarm on the Monday evening when he could not contact his employer, and friends of Mr Todd in London had also called Mr Whatton to voice their concerns. On Saturday 8 March, he bought guides to the Lake District and north Wales, and sent a text to his deputy saying he intended to take Monday off work.
Only senior officers in North Wales and Greater Manchester were informed of his disappearance for security reasons, the inquest heard. Mr Todd sent a further text in the evening to G saying he was "in a dark place" before spending the night at his Manchester city centre flat with G.
"One of the scenarios we took seriously was that he may have been in some sort of difficulty in terms of terrorism or serious crime," Mr Whatton explained. When G left on Sunday, Mr Todd "appeared anxious, he was crying, like a man who had lost everything".
His mobile phone signal was tracked to the Menai Straits area at about 2300 GMT on Monday 10 March. A text to B sent on Sunday read: "Not your fault.... remember the good times". He also emailed his wife apologising for his actions.
The inquest is hearing from 13 witnesses, which do not include Mrs Todd or her husband's former lover Angie Robinson, chief executive of Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Later that day, he sent a further series of messages from the Cumbria area, ending in one to C just after midnight saying he intended to "end it all" but had "bottled out".
However Mrs Todd is expected to give a statement at the end of the hearing reaffirming her love for her husband. Moments later he sent another to C which read: "Just got back from the lakes. Really fell out with Carolyn but will try to sort it out tomorrow."
His mobile phone signal was tracked to the Menai Straits area at about 2300 GMT on Monday 10 March, and his body was discovered the following day.
Following his death, revelations concerning Mr Todd and a number of extra-marital affairs emerged.Following his death, revelations concerning Mr Todd and a number of extra-marital affairs emerged.
Medical evidence Mrs Todd, who is attending the hearing, is not one of the witnesses but is expected to give a statement at the end reaffirming her love for her husband.
Alcohol
When the inquest was opened and adjourned in March, it heard there were no injuries on Mr Todd's body.When the inquest was opened and adjourned in March, it heard there were no injuries on Mr Todd's body.
Mr Todd, father-of-three, was fully, although lightly, clothed. Mr Todd, father-of-three, was fully, although lightly, clothed and over the blood alcohol drink-drive limit.
The hearing at Llangefni, Anglesey, was told Mr Todd's body had contained 105mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood - above the legal limit for driving of 80mg. Mr Pritchard Jones was also told there was no evidence Mr Todd had jumped or fallen as there were no external or internal injuries or scuff marks on his "sturdy" mountain boots.
Mr Pritchard-Jones said he would hear medical evidence to "allay suspicion and fears" about Mr Todd's death and dismissed the blood alcohol readings as "not a huge amount".
He was also told there was no evidence Mr Todd had jumped or fallen as there were no external or internal injuries or scuff marks on his "sturdy" mountain boots.
Mr Todd, who had been tipped as a future Metropolitan Police commissioner, was appointed chief constable in Greater Manchester, England's third largest force, in October 2002.Mr Todd, who had been tipped as a future Metropolitan Police commissioner, was appointed chief constable in Greater Manchester, England's third largest force, in October 2002.
He had been a police officer since joining Essex Police in 1976.He had been a police officer since joining Essex Police in 1976.