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Police criticised over handling of Edinburgh suicide case | Police criticised over handling of Edinburgh suicide case |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Police have been criticised for their handling of a suicide case in Edinburgh after investigators found they "mismanaged" the inquiry. | Police have been criticised for their handling of a suicide case in Edinburgh after investigators found they "mismanaged" the inquiry. |
John McNeill, the independent police investigations and review commissioner, has made recommendations for the future handling of potential suicide cases. | John McNeill, the independent police investigations and review commissioner, has made recommendations for the future handling of potential suicide cases. |
It follows the discovery of a woman's body in Clermiston in June 2013. | |
Her body was found the day after officers had rejected claims by her family that she appeared suicidal. | Her body was found the day after officers had rejected claims by her family that she appeared suicidal. |
In a summary of his findings, the commissioner made six separate recommendations to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland. | In a summary of his findings, the commissioner made six separate recommendations to the Chief Constable of Police Scotland. |
They range from calling for an investigation into the actions of the police officers dealing with the missing person inquiry, to a recommendation that the Police Scotland Mental Health and Place of Safety standard operating procedure (SOP) is updated to provide additional guidance to officers dealing with people reported to be suicidal. | They range from calling for an investigation into the actions of the police officers dealing with the missing person inquiry, to a recommendation that the Police Scotland Mental Health and Place of Safety standard operating procedure (SOP) is updated to provide additional guidance to officers dealing with people reported to be suicidal. |
Malicious call | |
The independent investigation looked into the handling of the 36-year-old woman's disappearance. | |
Her body was found by a dog walker in Clermiston Woods. | |
Police had received a call from the woman's estranged husband the previous evening to say he was worried that his wife appeared to want to kill herself. | |
Officers were aware she had recently tried to commit suicide, the PIRC investigation found. | |
They visited the woman's home in Edinburgh but concluded the call was malicious after interviewing her and her 16-year-old son. | |
She was not seen alive again after leaving her home later that evening. | |
A missing person inquiry was launched after a suicide note was found at her home the following day. | |
The PIRC investigation found the case was not immediately treated as a high priority because officers judged the note did not contain any obvious suicidal tendencies and could have been fabricated. | |
The woman's phone was active when she was first reported missing but the battery had died by the time officers tried to trace it, "hampering" the investigation. | |
Phone data | |
The PIRC report said: "Police officers erred in their assessment of the circumstances and this impacted upon their decision-making, which included that the call appeared to have been malicious | |
"The missing person inquiry was mismanaged. The missing person inquiry should have been immediately graded a high priority. | |
"Communications data to locate the woman's phone should have been sought on an emergency basis early in the inquiry. Delays in obtaining and interpreting this data hampered the investigation. | |
"A search for the woman should have been undertaken." | |
The PIRC also found additional information from the woman's family about her intentions may have allowed the force to "reappraise" its earlier decisions. | |
Professor McNeill said: "Following my investigation, I have made a number of recommendations both specific to this case and more wide-ranging, particularly in relation to the guidance that is available to officers dealing with incidents such as this." | Professor McNeill said: "Following my investigation, I have made a number of recommendations both specific to this case and more wide-ranging, particularly in relation to the guidance that is available to officers dealing with incidents such as this." |
Investigating actions | Investigating actions |
A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Police Scotland thanks the PIRC for their report, which outlines a number of findings following an investigation. | A Police Scotland spokesman said: "Police Scotland thanks the PIRC for their report, which outlines a number of findings following an investigation. |
"Our thoughts are also with the family of the deceased at this difficult time. | "Our thoughts are also with the family of the deceased at this difficult time. |
"It is clear that a number of learning points exist in relation to this incident and we will study all the evidence provided by the PIRC. | "It is clear that a number of learning points exist in relation to this incident and we will study all the evidence provided by the PIRC. |
"We note that the PIRC have made a number of recommendations, which includes investigating the actions of specific officers. | "We note that the PIRC have made a number of recommendations, which includes investigating the actions of specific officers. |
"This point, alongside all recommendations, will be investigated to ensure Police Scotland provide the highest of standards of service to the public." | "This point, alongside all recommendations, will be investigated to ensure Police Scotland provide the highest of standards of service to the public." |
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