Missed opportunities by Police to Secure Appropriate Mental Health Support for 35 Year Old Father Talked Down from Railway Bridge
Bronia Hartley represented the family of a 35 year old father who took his life at a homeless hostel where he was left by police officers 20 minutes after being talked down from a railway bridge, from which he had intended to jump.
The inquest heard that Dean Bradley was expressing persecutory beliefs and appeared paranoid and delusional. Body Worn Video disclosed Mr Bradley pleading with officers not to be returned to the homeless hostel due to his delusional belief that people staying there were going to kill him.
Following his death Mr Bradley was found to have an excessive amount of prescribed antidepressant medication in his system but no alcohol or drugs of abuse.
HM Senior Coroner for Teesside and Hartlepool, Clare Bailey, found that the officers, who did not contact mental health services before leaving Mr Bradley at the homeless hostel, made “dangerous assumptions” about his presentation and failed to secure appropriate mental health support for him.
The Coroner issued a Prevention of Future Deaths report detailing concerns regarding safeguarding pending mental health assessment where the individual is believed to be intoxicated.
Bronia was instructed by Lois Hepworth of Watson Woodhouse Solicitors.
Bronia Hartley is part of the Inquests Team at Parklane Plowden. Bronia’s profile can be accessed here.
Reporting: BBC
