offices back at Manchester Police Headquarters when Faith Hope the Coroner’s Officer reported that the cause of death in relation to Constable Rick Masterton was natural causes.
This was due to a rare heart complaint to be precise, she told the Chief-Constable Quinten Johns.
She added, “The officer had suffered a disturbed heart rhythm and so death ensued without warning. No cause for this is known. There was no evidence he had drowned, it appeared he had a heart attack and then fell into the water”.
She then handed him a copy of the slip of paper giving the cause of death, as
1a.Heart failure
1b Due to heart arrhythmia
Similar news reached Chief Constable Myers in respect of Constable Ifor Evans. “A sad case” he said, but as it was natural causes with no Inquest it was much the better for the family.
On the Tuesday morning, Alex Renton, The Chief Constable of Shropshire was surprised when his telephone rang to be informed by Chief Superintendent Ralph Jackson that Constable Ted Yates known as “Spud” had been found dead whilst on duty.
The officer, a dog handler had been found dead in his police van at the bottom of a county beauty spot known as the Long Mynd.
“What happened Jackson?” Asked the Chief.
“Well the duty Inspector Ron Thelwell has visited and checked the scene with accident investigation”.
“There are no markings to indicate the van was speeding, in fact it appears to have been stationary in a picnic area and simply gone over the top.”
“It appears to have rolled over, for when it was checked the van was in neutral, the engine was stopped and the ignition key in the off position.”
“If I was to hazard a guess I would say Yates dozed off.”
“I see, well what injuries did he appear to have?" Asked the Chief.
“On the face of it none”, said Jackson “he was strapped in, seat belt fastened, he may have internal injuries or a broken neck of course but it won’t be until the PM is done later that we will know the answer”.
“I take it you will be going to the PM Ron?"
“Of course Sir and I will call you as soon as I know. Oh by the way, I have despatched two policewomen to break the news to the next of kin. I assume you will visit later sir.”
“Naturally I will, just let us get the result known”, replied the Chief, adding “so if you will summarise once again Ralph, I will note the details and pass it to the force press officer to save him calling you”.
“OK sir, here it is”
“Not more than an hour ago a lady driving her car into Carding Mill valley was surprised to see a white van travelling down the steep mountain side, then crash into a bank on the other side of the road in front of her”.
“It was a marked police vehicle, a dog van. It was witnessed by a lady driver; she and several customers at the café over the road ran to the scene, the officer seemed unconscious at first so a nearby ambulance about to deliver a day patient to hospital agreed to take the officer to hospital”.
“Unfortunately on the journey he stopped breathing and on arrival at the hospital at Shrewsbury was certified dead by the casualty doctor”.
“What about the dog?” asked the Chief, aware of the possible consequences in the press if anything untoward happened involving the police dog?
“Oh the dog is OK; another dog handler has visited and taken it to the kennels at HQ”.
It was two hours later the post mortem completed when the pathologist Mr Russell Johnson handed Ralph Jackson the Chief Super a slip of paper with the cause of death and saying. “I could find no injuries at all, a perfectly healthy man yet for some reason his heart threw a wobbler and he simply died, the cause is on the note, I will report direct to the Coroner, there should be no need for an inquest.
Jackson read the causes, which were
1a.Heart failure
1b Due to heart arrhythmia
“Thank you Doctor” said the Chief Super and was very relieved
This was due to a rare heart complaint to be precise, she told the Chief-Constable Quinten Johns.
She added, “The officer had suffered a disturbed heart rhythm and so death ensued without warning. No cause for this is known. There was no evidence he had drowned, it appeared he had a heart attack and then fell into the water”.
She then handed him a copy of the slip of paper giving the cause of death, as
1a.Heart failure
1b Due to heart arrhythmia
Similar news reached Chief Constable Myers in respect of Constable Ifor Evans. “A sad case” he said, but as it was natural causes with no Inquest it was much the better for the family.
On the Tuesday morning, Alex Renton, The Chief Constable of Shropshire was surprised when his telephone rang to be informed by Chief Superintendent Ralph Jackson that Constable Ted Yates known as “Spud” had been found dead whilst on duty.
The officer, a dog handler had been found dead in his police van at the bottom of a county beauty spot known as the Long Mynd.
“What happened Jackson?” Asked the Chief.
“Well the duty Inspector Ron Thelwell has visited and checked the scene with accident investigation”.
“There are no markings to indicate the van was speeding, in fact it appears to have been stationary in a picnic area and simply gone over the top.”
“It appears to have rolled over, for when it was checked the van was in neutral, the engine was stopped and the ignition key in the off position.”
“If I was to hazard a guess I would say Yates dozed off.”
“I see, well what injuries did he appear to have?" Asked the Chief.
“On the face of it none”, said Jackson “he was strapped in, seat belt fastened, he may have internal injuries or a broken neck of course but it won’t be until the PM is done later that we will know the answer”.
“I take it you will be going to the PM Ron?"
“Of course Sir and I will call you as soon as I know. Oh by the way, I have despatched two policewomen to break the news to the next of kin. I assume you will visit later sir.”
“Naturally I will, just let us get the result known”, replied the Chief, adding “so if you will summarise once again Ralph, I will note the details and pass it to the force press officer to save him calling you”.
“OK sir, here it is”
“Not more than an hour ago a lady driving her car into Carding Mill valley was surprised to see a white van travelling down the steep mountain side, then crash into a bank on the other side of the road in front of her”.
“It was a marked police vehicle, a dog van. It was witnessed by a lady driver; she and several customers at the café over the road ran to the scene, the officer seemed unconscious at first so a nearby ambulance about to deliver a day patient to hospital agreed to take the officer to hospital”.
“Unfortunately on the journey he stopped breathing and on arrival at the hospital at Shrewsbury was certified dead by the casualty doctor”.
“What about the dog?” asked the Chief, aware of the possible consequences in the press if anything untoward happened involving the police dog?
“Oh the dog is OK; another dog handler has visited and taken it to the kennels at HQ”.
It was two hours later the post mortem completed when the pathologist Mr Russell Johnson handed Ralph Jackson the Chief Super a slip of paper with the cause of death and saying. “I could find no injuries at all, a perfectly healthy man yet for some reason his heart threw a wobbler and he simply died, the cause is on the note, I will report direct to the Coroner, there should be no need for an inquest.
Jackson read the causes, which were
1a.Heart failure
1b Due to heart arrhythmia
“Thank you Doctor” said the Chief Super and was very relieved
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