Death of patient who fled hospital sparks probe into inspector

Death of mental health patient who fled Priory Hospital sparks probe into police inspector over alleged failures in the search

• A West Midlands Police Inspector is being investigated for misconduct over alleged failures in search for a mental health patient who absconded and died
• Inquest found 23-year-old Matthew Caseby’s death contributed to by neglect 
• The Independent Office for Police Conduct has formally opened investigation 

A police inspector is being investigated for misconduct over alleged failures in the search for a mental health patient who died after absconding from a Priory hospital.

An inquest jury last year found that personal trainer Matthew Caseby’s death was contributed to by neglect after hearing how he was left unattended in a courtyard for five minutes, allowing the 23-year-old to scale a 7ft 6in fence.

He died in front of a train in Birmingham the next morning – three days after being admitted following his detention under the Mental Health Act. 

Mr Caseby’s father Richard said the police ‘dismissed all the obvious medical evidence of my son’s acute vulnerability’.

Priory Hospital Woodbourne had assessed Mr Caseby as being at medium risk of serious harm when he absconded in September 2020, and police only upgraded that to high risk 14 hours later.

The hospital had assessed Mr Caseby as being at medium risk of serious harm when he absconded in September 2020, and police only upgraded that to high risk 14 hours later.

His father Richard confirmed yesterday he had lodged a complaint over the initial police response. 

It is believed the police watchdog’s investigation will look at the way police resources were allocated by the inspector, believed to be a neighbourhood response manager, on the evening Mr Caseby escaped. 

Mr Caseby, who drove from London to join the search for his son, said: ‘West Midlands police dismissed all the obvious medical evidence of my son’s acute vulnerability. Matthew was a psychiatric patient who had been sectioned for his own safety because he had been running on live train lines. 

‘The police log states that he left the hospital saying he would harm himself. What more evidence do you need?

‘Not a single policeman was looking for him during that terrible night I was searching for him. I flagged down three patrol cars and none of the officers had even been told he had escaped from the hospital.’ 

Mr Caseby, a 62-year-old communications consultant, believes the failure to upgrade the risk of harm assessment sooner ‘meant that far less effort was made by the police to find Matthew than if he had been assessed as at serious risk of harm.’ 

In September, Mr Caseby senior called for Birmingham’s Priory Hospital Woodbourne to be ‘shut down before anyone else is hurt’, after the Care Quality Commission warned it remained unsafe for psychiatric patients two years after his son’s death

Mr Caseby lived in Blackheath, South East London, but was detained near railway tracks in Islip, Oxfordshire. He was sectioned and was later transferred to Birmingham because he was still registered with a GP in the city from his time at university there. 

The inquest jury last year returned a narrative conclusion finding that Mr Caseby was suffering ‘disordered thinking and did not have the capacity to form any intention to take his own life’. 

They criticised the lack of a supervision policy – which meant the courtyard was ‘unsuitable’ for patients’ use -also criticised the hospital’s failure to improve the security of the fence, despite concerns patients had previously absconded by climbing it. 

An IOPC spokesman confirmed the watchdog was investigating West Midlands Police’s (WMP) response. 

He added: ‘Our investigation began in October 2022 after we received from WMP the mandatory referral of a complaint. 

‘We are considering the initial risk assessments and subsequent reviews by officers; the actions taken to locate Matthew; what consideration was given to concerns and information relayed by his parents; and the conduct of an officer during the inquest into Matthew’s death, which was held in April 2022. 

‘During the course of our investigation, we have served a WMP inspector with a notice informing them that they are under investigation for misconduct, in relation to their decision making and handling of information after Matthew was reported missing. The serving of notices does not necessarily mean that disciplinary proceedings will follow. 

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating a West Midlands Police inspector

‘Our enquiries, which are ongoing, have included applying to HM Coroner to obtain evidence and recordings from the inquest, and we are seeking statements from a number of witnesses.’ 

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: ‘We are supporting the IOPC investigation and while this case is being investigated independently we cannot comment any further.’ 

In September, Mr Caseby senior called for Birmingham’s Priory Hospital Woodbourne to be ‘shut down before anyone else is hurt’, after the Care Quality Commission warned it remained unsafe for psychiatric patients two years after his son’s death. 

In a damning report, the watchdog gave the hospital he lowest possible rating of ‘inadequate’. Last June the CQC opened a criminal investigation into the Priory Group and Victoria Colloby, a senior executive, over possible breaches of Health and Social Care law in relation to Mr Caseby’s death 

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