Inquest told of officer shortage

An inquest into the deaths of Shropshire police officer Richard Gray and gunman Peter Medlicott has heard there were no police officers available to attend when the 999 call was first received.Mr Medlicott’s girlfriend Ethel Mildred Jones was connected to a police call centre in Worcester shortly after 6am on May 6 to report he had smashed her bedroom window and was still outside the flat.

But the jury yesterday heard when the information was sent over on the log to Shrewsbury at 6.13am there was nobody available to go to the scene.

Detective sergeant Alan Crossley read a statement from Jeremy Neil Layton, a call centre management supervisor at Shrewsbury Police Station, to the inquest.

Mr Layton said an incident came through on the log marked as a level one emergency response.

He said: “I made my communications officer, Julia St John Martin, aware. I knew that all our police resources were committed and we did not have a resource to send to the incident.”

Mr Layton said he spoke to Mildred Jones at 6.19am and established that Mr Medlicott was still at the location and he could hear him banging.

“I informed Julia that I had spoken to the caller and it was still a level one,” he added.

“At this point we still had no resources to send. I was concerned about the lack of resources available.”

Mrs St John Martin told the inquest yesterday that it is normal procedure to send a “double police patrol car”.

“But at the time I did not have any resources available,” she said. “I informed the duty sergeant.”

The inquest heard that at about 6.43am Constable Keiron Cornell, who had been on constant watch over a prisoner, was relieved of his duties in the custody suite by Sergeant Christopher Henstone and was available to go to the scene.

Constable Sharon Phillips then returned to the station from a call at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and went with Constable Cornell to the incident in New Park Road, in the Castlefields area of Shrewsbury.

Coroner for mid and north Shropshire Mr John Ellery asked Mrs St John Martin if procedure had changed on information obtained from call takers regarding firearms checks.

The question came after the jury had previously heard that although Miss Jones told Worcester call taker Derek Deakin Peter Medlicott owned firearms and had previously threatened to shoot her Mr Deakin had not written it on the log sent through to Shrewsbury Police Station.

Mrs St John Martin said officers now always carried out a firearms check although they had not officially been asked to do so as a matter of course.

She added that on the Police National Computer there was now an “Are they a firearms holder?” section.

The inquest also heard yesterday that Constable Gray and Constable Matthew Crisp attended New Park Road in Castlefields twice on the morning of the shooting. Detective Sergeant Alan Crossley read out a statement from police sergeant Christopher Henstone.

Mr Henstone said: “At around 4am a call came in that there was a domestic incident taking place in New Park Road. I attended the area believing the incident was taking place close to the shops.

“The couple were arguing on our arrival.”

The inquest heard Constables Gray and Crisp dealt with the situation and stayed on the scene for up to half an hour before heading to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital following reports of a burglary.

Mr Henstone added: “Between 6.10 and 6.20am a call came over my personal radio asking if anybody could attend a domestic incident in New Park Road.

“I did have some concerns as to who could be deployed to the incident.”

He said he would have liked to have gone himself but as he was co-ordinating other staff he said he relieved Constable Keiron Cornell of his duties in the custody suite.

“I was aware this meant sending Keiron to a level one job on his own, I would have liked to have sent Ricky and Matt but they had returned to the hospital. After sending Keiron I was aware that Sharon had returned to the station and had gone to the incident.

“Some time later I heard the emergency button on the radio, I then heard Keiron speaking, he said he has got a gun.

“I then heard him say words to the effect that I see you have taken the safety off.

“When I heard this I knew I must get to them.”

Mr Henstone said he organised cover for the custody suite and then ran out, ordering a number of officers he saw on his way to kit up and get out to the scene.

He said he asked for an Armed Response Vehicle to be sent out to a meeting point at the Bus Depot in Ditherington Road.

He said that on arrival at the rendezvous point police blocked off Sultan Road. He said he wanted to get closer but was aware colleagues were speaking to eye-witnesses over the phone to get a better picture.

“I decided that if we went any closer we would place ourselves in danger,” he added.

The hearing continues.