A West Midlands Police inspector has been found guilty of misconduct after a complaint to the watchdog over his decision-making during the search for a highly vulnerable psychiatric patient who was hit and killed by a train in 2020.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) confirmed that the officer – understood to be Inspector Collin Baker – had been given a written warning to last for 18 months, after misconduct was proven against him at a private meeting on Wednesday.
The IOPC said the misconduct during the search for Matthew Caseby was “proven in respect of a breach of duties and responsibilities when it was found the inspector may not have included relevant information within his decision making and/or dismissed information when deciding that Matthew was a medium risk missing person”.
The watchdog determined that the officer should face a misconduct hearing after a complaint about Mr Baker was made by Mr Caseby’s father, Richard Caseby, a communications consultant, almost three years ago, alleging a series of failings.
An inquest jury ruled in April 2022 that failures amounting to neglect contributed to the death of Matthew Caseby, who was hit by a train near Birmingham’s University railway station after absconding from the city’s Priory Hospital Woodbourne by climbing over a courtyard fence.
The 23-year-old, who lived in London, had been detained under the Mental Health Act following reports of a man running on to railway tracks near Oxford five days before his death.
His father believes police were “utterly negligent” about Matthew’s acute vulnerability and should have classed him as a high-risk missing person.
An IOPC spokesperson said: “Our thoughts and sympathies remain with Matthew Caseby’s family and everyone affected by his sad death.
“We investigated how West Midlands Police responded to reports that Matthew was missing after the force referred a complaint to us, made by the family in October 2022, following the inquest into his death.
“We examined the initial risk assessments and further reviews by officers; the actions taken to try and find Matthew and what consideration was given to concerns and information Matthew’s parents shared with the force.
“At the end of our investigation we shared our report and findings with West Midlands Police and Matthew’s father.
“We found that a police inspector may have breached the standards of professional behaviour regarding duties and responsibilities, authority, respect and courtesy and discreditable conduct in relation to their decision-making and handling of information, after Matthew was reported missing.”
The IOPC spokesperson, who did not name the inspector involved, said of Wednesday’s misconduct meeting: “Misconduct was proven in respect of a breach of duties and responsibilities when it was found the inspector may not have included relevant information within his decision-making and/or dismissed information when deciding that Matthew was a medium risk missing person.
“The sanction imposed was a written warning to last for 18 months.”
The IOPC said it had also identified learning for the West Midlands force in respect of procedures for investigating missing persons deemed to be medium risk, particularly on overnight shifts, with less staff on duty.
The inquest jury – which heard the University of Birmingham graduate should have been under constant observation but was left unattended – reached a conclusion that death was contributed to by neglect.
Care provider Priory Healthcare was last year fined £650,000 for safety failings linked to the death.
A spokeswoman for West Midlands Police, who also declined to name the officer involved, said: “Our thoughts remain with Matthew Caseby’s family and friends.
“An investigation was carried out by the IOPC and concluded that a police inspector should attend a misconduct meeting.
“A misconduct meeting took place yesterday and the officer received a written warning to remain on his file for 18 months. We note the recommendations made by the IOPC and the outcome of their investigation.”
