In October 2023, Kelly Faiers, 61, was discovered dead at the home of Richard Scatchard, 70, in Minehead, Somerset. Scatchard, a registered sex offender with prior convictions for drugging and sexual assault, told officers that Faiers had taken up to 10 sleeping tablets and was found unconscious on his lounge floor.
When uniformed officers from Avon and Somerset arrived, their suspicions grew due to Scatchard’s known criminal history and his uneasy behavior. Officers wanted to arrest him on suspicion of manslaughter but were overruled by a duty detective sergeant, causing frustration and concern among the frontline police.
Pc Alex Harris recounted how she learned about Scatchard’s background from police records and noted his unsettling comments, including that Faiers took sleeping tablets because “I like to watch her sleep.” Despite intense unease, Pc Harris refrained from activating her body-worn camera, fearing it might escalate the situation.
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“The next hour while waiting for additional officers was the worst hour of my policing career,” Pc Harris said. She described feeling physically ill and on high alert as Scatchard paced repeatedly around the flat, occasionally stepping over Faiers’ body.
Her colleague, Pc Kate Fortune, also observed that Scatchard was clearly uncomfortable and suspected he might flee. Despite their instinct to act, higher command insisted on delaying arrest until a post-mortem could be completed.
Sgt Lauren Whitehouse explained that CID was informed due to the suspicious circumstances, but orders were given to wait for forensic results before making an arrest.
Scatchard, who had been in a concealed relationship with the mother-of-four, later vanished. Authorities found him deceased in a caravan in April 2024 after he was recalled to prison.
The inquest continues as police and legal officials examine the decisions made during those critical hours.