The body of Richard Scatchard, a 70-year-old sex offender wanted by police in connection with the death of his partner, was found heavily decomposed inside a caravan in Somerset six months after he was last seen, an inquest has heard.
Scatchard was under investigation after the death of Kelly Faiers, 61, who was found dead at their Minehead home in October 2023. Ms. Faiers died from an overdose involving sleeping tablets and alcohol. At the time, Scatchard was on a life licence for previous convictions involving drugging and sexually assaulting women and was actively being sought by authorities following her death.
The last confirmed sighting of Scatchard was in the Watchet area, approximately 10 miles from Minehead, a day after Ms. Faiers’ body was discovered. Despite an extensive manhunt by Avon and Somerset Police, no evidence was found of him being alive after October 2023.
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His remains were eventually found in a caravan at a campsite in Watchet during the removal of the caravan from winter storage. Identification was confirmed through fingerprints. Detective Constable Mark Evison highlighted that Scatchard was wearing a wristwatch set to British Summer Time (BST), suggesting he had not been alive since at least late October 2023. The police noted the significance because the UK switched from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to BST on March 31, 2024, and the watch had not been adjusted accordingly.
No known connections linked Scatchard to the campsite, and it remains unclear how he arrived at the location. Police reported no evidence of third-party involvement or intent of self-harm in Scatchard’s death.
A post-mortem examination by pathologist Dr. Deborah Cook described the body as “heavily decomposed” and near-total mummified. No visible injuries or signs of assault were present, though five rib fractures were found, likely sustained near the time of death. These fractures could cause chest pain and breathing difficulties but were not considered fatal. Due to the extent of decomposition, internal examination was limited, and a concussive head injury could not be ruled out as a contributing factor.
Toxicology tests detected alcohol and compounds found in sleeping tablets or other common medications, but decomposition prevented accurate measurement of substance levels. Dr. Cook concluded the cause of death as “unascertained,” unable to confirm or exclude toxicity from sleeping tablets and alcohol.
The court also heard that Scatchard had concealed his relationship with Ms. Faiers from probation officers, violating licence conditions that required disclosure of intimate relationships. He had received two warnings for breaches and was warned of the risk of returning to prison. Probation officer Curtis Martin assessed him as a medium-risk offender, noting his argumentative and controlling behavior posed potential risks without supervision.
Senior coroner Samantha Marsh recorded an open conclusion in Scatchard’s death verdict, citing insufficient evidence to determine how or when he died. She acknowledged that Scatchard likely knew he faced a prison return but chose to remain hidden. The date of death was recorded as the date of discovery, reflecting the lack of clarity on the actual time of death.
An inquest into Kelly Faiers’ death, held earlier the same week, concluded that she had been unlawfully killed.