Police chief in turmoil

A police chief from Halam died of exposure when his state of mind was affected by alcohol, a sleeping drug and confusion due to his personal situation, a coroner ruled on Tuesday.

Mr Michael Todd (50) of Radley Road, Halam, then Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, was found dead near the summit of Mount Snowdon on March 11.

Recording a narrative verdict, the north west Wales coroner, Mr Dewi Pritchard Jones, said there was not enough evidence for suicide or an accident through misadventure.

The inquest heard that Mr Todd’s wife, Mrs Carolyn Todd, was told three days before his death that her husband was having an extra-marital relationship.

Mr Todd, a father of three, visited suicide websites and sent a series of tragic text messages to friends and lovers in the days before he died.

He made an aborted suicide attempt days before he was found dead.

After the inquest, Mrs Todd, said: “In his last email to me Michael said ‘I really am so sorry for all the hurt I have caused you. I just hope that you will be able to forgive me at least in part some day.’

“I have forgiven him and Michael’s family have forgiven him.

“The tragedy is that Michael never felt able during his career to seek the help he badly needed and he never knew that we could and have forgiven him.’’

At the inquest at Gwynedd Council Offices, in Caernarvon, the coroner said the identities of people who received emails and text messages from Mr Todd and the action they took was not relevant and instead, witnesses were referred to by letters.

The Greater Manchester Police Deputy Chief Constable, Mr Dave Whatton, said he first became concerned about Mr Todd on the evening before his body was found when Mr Todd’s driver rang to say he had not been able to contact him.

A signal from his mobile phone was tracked in the Menai Straits area at about 11pm on March 10.

Mr Todd sent a last text message before he died, saying: “I’m sorry for what I have done, forgive me in another life.’’

His body was found on the mountainside in appalling weather.

He had drunk gin and taken sleeping tablets.

Days before he had been confronted by his wife who had found out about his infidelity, the inquest heard.

As his life unravelled he searched the internet for ways to kill himself, sending increasingly desperate text messages to friends and lovers.

The texts culminated in him admitting he was intending to kill himself and apologising to his wife, telling her he still loved her.