The family of a man who killed himself in the grounds of a primary school say his death might have been prevented by a psychiatric assessment.
Lee Biddle, 33, of Dellfield Court, Luton, was found hanged in the grounds of Ramridge Primary School on March 7 this year. At an inquest into his death on Tuesday (May 19), his family said they still had unanswered questions about his final days.
Dunstable Coroner’s Court heard Mr Biddle, who had a history of heroin addiction, was arrested after a police officer was assaulted in Luton town centre on March 5.
While in custody at Luton police station he became violent, punching and headbutting the cell door, and threatened to kill himself if charged. But PC Philip Rutt told the inquest once Mr Biddle sobered up he “became a normal person and apologised for his behaviour”, and made no more suicide threats.
He was seen by a doctor at the station and then taken to hospital as he had broken a bone in his hand. Later that day he was bailed after being charged with the assault.
When asked by assistant deputy coroner Belinda Cheney why no consideration was given to Mr Biddle receiving a psychiatric assessment, PC Rutt said he did not know, adding: “I was looking after him because he was drunk.”
Two nights later PC Rutt and a colleague were called to Ramridge at 11pm after a caretaker discovered Mr Biddle’s body hanging from a metal fence.
“He was cold and had no pulse,” said PC Rutt. “Both of us recognised it as Lee.”
Mr Biddle had locked his dog, a Staffie, in the school’s bin store, and his belongings were found in a doorway.
Beds Police had contacted Mr Biddle’s mother, Teresa Skelton, earlier in the evening after receiving a distressed call from him, but could not trace his whereabouts.
Det Con Kim Willis told the inquest she had seen him at 8.40pm that night while off duty, when she came across his dog attacking a spaniel near Ramridge Primary. She helped him separate the two animals and said she would have to report the incident to the police.
“I could smell alcohol on him,” she said. “I didn’t tell him I was a police officer, he was a big guy and I was on my own.
“He seemed upset and sorry for what had happened.”
She requested an ambulance crew called to treat the spaniel’s owner report the dog attack, and called it in to the control room herself when she got home a short while later.
Asked by the family why no officers went to track Mr Biddle down, she said: “Ideally we would go and find someone immediately but it doesn’t work like that. The way the police are working at the moment we just don’t have the people.”
The inquest was adjourned so that more information could be obtained from Bedfordshire Police, whose professional standards department carried out an internalinvestigation after Mr Biddle’s death.
A force spokeswoman said no failings were found and that a pre-release risk assessment had taken place.
She added: “Following the events of March 7 this was referred to the IPCC due to previous police contact. They identified no issues.”
Speaking outside the coroner’s court, Mrs Skelton said: “They could have just referred him to the crisis team. If he was in the cells saying he was going to commit suicide they should have referred him.
“I think they system has let him down.”
Mr Biddle, originally from Dover, had been getting help for his drug problems from Luton rehab service Walk to Freedom.
His partner, Sue Richards, said: “He was trouble but it was down to the drugs and the drink, they make people different.”