Deaths prompt coroner's investigation support concerns

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A coroner has concluded five men in eight months died by suicide while being investigated by the police in the same county.

Robert Cohen heard the inquests of the men who died in Cumbria between October 2025 and June 2026 while on bail for alleged offences. Four of the deaths happened within seven weeks.

The assistant coroner told the court in Workington he would write to the College of Policing and two Secretaries of State over his "very significant concerns" about rising numbers of people taking their own lives while under investigation.

He also highlighted the time taken by some forensic investigations, after the inquest heard it could take up to two years to analyse electronic devices.

On Thursday, the court earlier heard evidence surrounding the deaths of:

• Andrew Barker, 28, who was found dead in his flat in Kendal on 15 October 2025
• Paul Lodge, 44, from Dalton-in-Furness. He was found dead in his vehicle in Askam-in-Furness on 2 May of this year
• Kory Murgatroyd, 20. He was found dead on 17 May in a Kendal homeless hostel he had been staying at
• Nigel Peter Roper, 60, who was found dead at his home in Kendal on 5 June
• Ruairi Buckley, 50. He was found dead at his home in Threlkeld, near Keswick, on 18 June

All were on bail at the time of their deaths, pending a police investigation.

The final day of the inquest heard evidence about the processes followed by Cumbria Police, health services and local authorities when they come into contact with people for whom there are concerns about their mental health.

The coroner asked Supt Dan St Quintin from Cumbria Police why some suspects spent such "lengthy periods of time on police bail" and whether it was because of the time spent waiting in long queues for forensic examinations.

St Quintin said in drugs cases it could take up to 18 months or two years for specialists to finish examining a mobile phone, especially the most modern ones containing "terabytes" of memory.

He said when investigating sexual offences, the delay could often be shortened to a few weeks.

Cohen said he was satisfied the health professionals and agencies who had had contact with the five men had followed their procedures and done their jobs properly.

But he said: "My concern is the frequency of these sorts of deaths is increasing."

The coroner said it was obviously right to hold investigations over serious criminal allegations, but the way they took place should be "tempered by the need" to reduce the potential harm to individuals.

He said he would write formal letters known as reports to prevent future deaths (PFDs).

One will go to the College of Policing, which Cohen said offered advice such as lending a cheap basic mobile phone to someone whose own phone has been taken away for forensic investigation, so they could keep in touch with their support network.

But he also said it was "almost impossible to understand" why the college suggested referring those being investigated to seek potential help from Childline or Womens' Aid.

He said he would also send PFDs to the home secretary and the secretary of state for health and social care, highlighting the time taken by some investigations when extending someone's bail increased the risk to them and asking for more attention to procedures that, although followed, did not prevent the deaths of these five men.

Cohen asked St Quintin about generic information endorsed by the College of Policing about sources of support that Cumbria Police gives to people under investigation.

The coroner compared that with a specific leaflet used by Cheshire Police that he said was more focused on seeking help with mental health problems and suicidal thoughts.

St Quintin agreed handing out a generic leaflet might be "not a very helpful" thing to do.

But he suggested if people were given a specific leaflet, like in Cheshire, "it might trigger thoughts" even in those who were not considering suicide.

St Quintin also told the inquest about the challenges of continuing a dialogue with people on bail, even when the goal of such contact would be to help keep them safe.

"Some suspects don't want to talk," he said. "They tell us where to go."

He outlined how considerations of data protection could inhibit some contact, where a suspect does not want their family members to know they are being investigated.

And he said someone's right to a private life could sometimes overrule considerations of whether they might be under threat of serious harm.

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