Coroner calls for 'urgent' action by police after delays in finding Wigan woman's body

Rachel Syed has written to Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) to call for changes to be made.

It follows an inquest earlier this month into the death of 25-year-old Hannah Beardshaw on April 20 last year.

Her former partner called 999 to raise concerns at 12.36pm that day, but a series of delays meant paramedics and police officers did not get into her Hindley home until 5.17pm.

These included the call not being escalated when police officers were not allocated within 20 minutes and a method-of-entry officer – needed to force entry to Hannah’s home – not being called until other officers arrived and then having to collect equipment.

Hannah’s body was found in a bedroom and the coroner recorded that she died by suicide.

Ms Syed did not believe the delays led to Hannah’s death, after a paramedic said she had probably died at least three hours before she was found.

But she was concerned other lives could be put at risk if the same delays occurred again.

Ms Syed has written a Report to Prevent Future Deaths and demanded that both GMP and the IOPC take action.

She wrote: “During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The matters of concern are as follows.

“The IOPC highlighted a number of learning recommendations on how GMP handled the incident which to date have not been implemented:

• A delay in escalating the incident, resulting in almost a four-hour delay to respond to the incident.

• A failure to make method-of-entry kits more readily available to those trained in their use.

• Improvement in document management.

"In my opinion urgent action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and/or your organisation have the power to take such action.”

Ms Syed asked GMP and the IOPC to respond within 56 days to detail action taken or proposed, or an explanation as to why no action would be taken.