Officers wanted to arrest sex offender after partner’s death in Somerset, inquest told
Kelly Faiers, 61, was found at the home of Richard Scatchard, 70, in Minehead, Somerset, in October 2023
Police officers wanted to arrest a sex offender with convictions for drugging and sexually assaulting women on suspicion of manslaughter after his partner was found dead in his home but were overruled by a more senior officer, an inquest has heard.
Kelly Faiers, 61, from Weston-super-Mare was found at the home of Richard Scatchard, 70, in Minehead, Somerset, in October 2023.
Scatchard told the first officers who went to his flat that he had found Ms Faiers lying unconscious on the floor of his lounge after she had taken up to 10 sleeping tablets.
Three uniformed Avon and Somerset officers told Somerset Coroner’s Court they knew of Scatchard’s previous offending and his demeanour that morning made them suspicious.
They told the court they wanted to arrest him on suspicion of manslaughter but were overruled by a duty detective sergeant.
By the time officers returned to Scatchard’s home to speak to him the following day, he had disappeared. He was later found dead in a caravan in Watchet, Somerset, in April 2024.
Pc Alex Harris said she knew from the police database that Scatchard was a registered sex offender and had convictions for administering drugs to obtain intercourse.
“Richard Scatchard then informed me that they had some sexual foreplay, but did not have sex,” she said in a written statement.
“He then informed me that Kelly had taken sleeping tablets. I confirmed 10, as I was really shocked by this.”
She said that while waiting for the undertakers to arrive, she became “increasingly uneasy” about his “demeanour”.
“He wasn’t saying very much and was constantly pacing around the flats going from the kitchen to the bedroom. He appeared very uneasy in our presence,” she said.
“I asked why Kelly took them and he replied, ‘Because I like to watch her sleep’.”
“With the intention of arresting Richard Scatchard on suspicion of manslaughter, I stepped out of the flat and contacted Sgt Whitehouse via my radio.
“I had already informed her of the warning signals attached to Richard Scatchard, and she informed me she had already contacted investigations and was on her way back to the address.”
Pc Harris said she did not activate her bodyworn camera because the “atmosphere in the flat was very intense” and she did not want to escalate the situation.
“Sgt Whitehouse informed me that she had relayed the facts and her suspicions to the duty detective sergeant who felt that an arrest would be a massive escalation,” she said.
“This decision left me feeling confused, angry and frustrated. I felt that my suspicions were being dismissed.
“I was in shock but I knew that I had to go back inside and join my colleague, who I was concerned for.
“I can obviously say the next hour whilst waiting for my colleagues was the worst hour of my policing career.
“I felt physically sick in Richard Scatchard’s presence whilst trying to make a polite conversation in an attempt to defuse the atmosphere.
“He continued to pace around the flat, which included, on several occasions, stepping over Kelly, who was lying on the living room floor.
“I was in a heightened state of awareness and I could feel the adrenaline pumping around my body.”
Pc Harris added: “I can’t help but regret that I didn’t ignore the decision made by the duty detective sergeant while I was in Richard Scatchard’s company.”
Her colleague, Pc Kate Fortune, said Scatchard appeared “uncomfortable in our presence” and the officers had become suspicious about “his version of events”.
“Following the unexpected decision not to arrest Richard Scatchard, I spent a further hour following him between the kitchen and bedroom trying to maintain polite conversation with him, when I felt our genuine concerns were being dismissed,” she said.
“I felt at the time that Richard Scatchard was a clear flight risk.
“He was uncomfortable in the presence of police officers and it seemed to me he was expecting to be arrested.”
Sgt Lauren Whitehouse said she had informed CID of the death because they felt it was suspicious.
“The detective sergeant advised that Richard Scatchard should not be arrested at this stage and that a detailed statement should be taken from him in regards to his relationship with Kelly, the events leading up to what happened that morning and when or how he had found her, also to include what she had taken and how she had taken it,” she said.
“I was advised that it would be to await the results of Kelly’s post-mortem.
“I then spoke to the detective sergeant further at 7.35am and they were still of the opinion that Richard Scatchard should not be arrested.”
The inquest previously heard that Scatchard had been in a relationship with the mother-of-four, from Weston-super-Mare, for six months and had not informed probation officers about it, as he was required.
After he disappeared following Ms Faiers’ death, Scatchard was recalled to prison but was later found dead in a caravan.
The inquest continues.