Matthew Kendall: Police message about firearm was missed before trainer killed himself
A message between police forces that requested officers carrying out a search at the home of a marital arts trainer to remove a licensed shotgun from his possession was missed before his death, a police investigation has found.
Matthew Kendall had been arrested on October 9, 2016, in Bolton for alleged ‘grooming’ offences following an anonymous telephone call.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation found that while Mr Kendall was in custody, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) emailed West Midlands Police (WMP) to ask that, as a safety precaution, any firearms found were removed from his home in Wolverhampton as it had been noted Mr Kendall was a registered firearms certificate holder.
Police officers undertook a search of his home later on October 9, but the attending officers were unaware of the suggestion to remove any firearms.
A day later Mr Kendall was in contact with West Mercia Police to report disturbances at his business premises in Telford.
Mr Kendall later killed himself.
The IPCC investigation looked at the extent of police contact with Mr Kendall between October 8 and 11 prior to his body being found near Church Stretton.
It focused on the risk assessment conducted by GMP, the passing of information between GMP, WMP, West Mercia Police and Staffordshire Police and the search conducted by WMP.
The investigation found GMP properly conducted a full risk assessment prior to Mr Kendall’s release which did not raise any concerns around increased risk of self-harm. The request to WMP to remove any firearms was precautionary only, and based on an officer’s extensive experience with vulnerable people.
During the investigation the IPCC investigator treated all officers from the forces involved as witnesses and found the message to remove the firearms was not missed due to any failing by individual officers, but due to communication processes and the volume of activity on the log at the relevant time.
The IPCC had shared its investigation findings with the coroner, Mr Kendall’s family, and the relevant police forces before the inquest.
An IPCC spokesman said: “We have concluded the investigation and made the coroner aware of our findings to help inform the inquest.”
Mr Kendall’s arrest followed an alleged incident in Bolton.
A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said in October: “On October 8, a 39-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of grooming and bailed pending further inquiries.
The spokesman added: “He was staying in Horwich. The arrest made was in connection with an offence in Bolton.”
The alleged offence also led to an investigation by West Mercia Police into the sports club where Mr Kendall, of Wednesfield, Wolverhampton, worked. The operation is now closed.
