A police officer has described the "worst hour of my policing career" after her superiors instructed her not to arrest a convicted sex offender she suspected of causing his partner's death. PC Alex Harris expressed her profound distress at the decision, which came after Kelly Faiers, 61, was discovered deceased at the home of Richard Scatchard, 70, in Minehead, Somerset, in October 2023. Scatchard, known to police for previous convictions involving drugging and sexually assaulting women, subsequently vanished and was found dead five months later in a caravan in Watchet, Somerset.
During an inquest at Somerset Coroner's Court, PC Harris, alongside two colleagues, testified to their immediate suspicions regarding Scatchard. They highlighted his known history as a registered sex offender with convictions for administering drugs to facilitate sexual intercourse. PC Harris recounted Scatchard's uneasy demeanour, his pacing, and a chilling comment he made about liking to watch Ms Faiers sleep after she had reportedly taken up to ten sleeping tablets. Despite these concerns and a desire to arrest him on suspicion of manslaughter, a duty detective sergeant reportedly deemed an arrest a "massive escalation" and advised against it.
The decision left PC Harris feeling "confused, angry and frustrated," believing her suspicions were being dismissed. She stated, "I felt physically sick in Richard Scatchard's presence whilst trying to make a polite conversation in an attempt to defuse the atmosphere." PC Kate Fortune, another officer present, echoed these sentiments, noting Scatchard appeared "uncomfortable in our presence" and seemed to be expecting an arrest, leading her to believe he was a "clear flight risk."
Sgt Lauren Whitehouse, who relayed the officers' concerns to the duty detective sergeant, confirmed that she was advised against an immediate arrest. Instead, she was told to obtain a detailed statement from Scatchard and await the post-mortem examination results before considering an arrest. Sgt Whitehouse also discovered discarded blister packs for sleeping pills and erectile dysfunction medication in communal bins outside Scatchard's flat, after he initially claimed to have binned the packaging.
The following day, when officers returned to Scatchard's address, he had disappeared. His body was discovered five months later, bringing a tragic end to the search. The inquest continues to examine the circumstances surrounding Ms Faiers' death and the police's handling of the initial investigation, with the officers' testimonies shedding light on the internal conflict and regret experienced.