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The mum of a man found dead five hours after he called police to his home says he “could have been saved”.
Michael Hardy was discovered hanged in Tennyson Avenue, Canterbury, on the morning of November 25, 2018.
During a seven-day inquest at Maidstone’s Archbishop’s Palace this month, Michael’s family told how for several years he had spoken of plans to end his life on his birthday.
His mum Annette Behan described her son - who had a history of mental illness and self-harm, and was diagnosed with autism and ADHD - as “always up and down”.
She said: “He could either be extremely happy or go into amazing rages within a second.”
She and Michael were not speaking at the time of his death, but she and daughter Sarah Cooper had observed his mood deteriorating in Facebook posts in the months prior.
Ms Behan tried desperately to contact mental health services, but to no avail.
On November 21, 2018, she filled out a “contact us” form on the Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) website, writing: “I have been trying to call you and have done so several times, however no one seems to be picking the phone up? My son has seen the crisis team before and is threatening to commit suicide again”.
They responded with a link to the Crisis Team website, which she contacted, and was there given the number for the Single Point of Access (SPA) team, which she called on November 23.
Ms Behan says SPA told her there was nothing they could do for Michael, without his consent. But the call was not recorded.
A “suicidal” warning had been entered on the electronic intelligence and case management system used by police in 2015, after he visited Canterbury police station armed with a hammer, saying he would hurt himself or someone else unless he got help.
A “self-harm” marker had been added two years previously.
“The thing I’m most concerned about is I don’t think there’s going to be any lessons learned..."
On November 3, 2018, a neighbour called 999 after Michael posted notes threatening suicide through her door. He was found at his home with self-inflicted wounds.
The attending police officer had said he would submit “intel” on the incident, but failed to do so.
Michael took his own life three weeks later, on his 29th birthday.
At about 1am that day, his sister Sarah wished him happy birthday on Facebook, and arranged to visit Michael with her little boy.
Just before 3am, Michael visited McDonald’s in Sturry Road to buy food alone, before returning home and responding to his sister with a message saying “thanks”.
At 4.24am, Michael rang 999, and asked for the police to visit his home.
He said: “I need someone to come round and see me quickly...the door will be open”.
Police graded the call “high” and aimed to get there within four hours.
After receiving her brother’s message, Sarah had texted her worried mum to say he was okay.
But when Ms Behan woke the following morning she decided to phone for an ambulance.
“I fell asleep but there was still something niggling,” she told the inquest.
“I was actually getting rather cross with him, thinking ‘you can’t keep putting me through this year after year’.
“I didn’t for one second assume he would do it in the early hours of the morning. I thought they could section him and that could teach him not to keep doing it.”
But when paramedics arrived at Michael’s home about 10 minutes after Ms Behan’s call, they found him hanged and he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
Police arrived at 09.36am, more than five hours after Michael’s call. Ms Behan, 53, feels her son’s death could have been prevented by better liaison between emergency services, and a faster police response.
She said: “Had police attended they may have saved Michael. He stated in the telephone conversation that he had left his door open for them. We were absolutely disgusted by the way that, at times, police and SPA hadn’t recorded anything.
“The police officer who went to see Michael in November said he would be submitting an intel report, but he didn’t.
“Because the suicide markers on there were dated 2015, he wasn’t assessed to be ‘immediate’.
“I know technology can be amazing, but only if it’s joined up and everyone has access to all the information they need.”
Ms Behan says she and Michael’s four sisters have been left “absolutely distraught” by his death.
“The thing I’m most concerned about is I don’t think there’s going to be any lessons learned,” she added.
But a spokesman for Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust said “actions have been put in place to address the concerns raised by Michael’s family during the inquest”.
“We also want to assure Michael’s loved ones that these changes to procedures will continue to be reviewed to ensure any learning undertaken has been embedded and we remember the importance of why these changes have taken place,” they added.
“These include the use of introduction of a Single Point of Access triage tool and the recording of all calls to SPA which will help staff to audit the quality of calls, safeguarding and supervision and to help with further training.
“We have also extended an invitation to meet with Michael’s family to talk with them further about their concerns and actions taken.”
DCI Keith Roberts from Kent Police’s professional standards department confirmed the force had received a complaint in connection with Michael’s death.
He said: “The welfare of those whom officers interact with is always of paramount importance and we remain committed to ensuring those in distress receive the most appropriate care and support from the police and partner agencies.
“It would be inappropriate to comment any further until such time as the complaint has been assessed and the complainant has been updated with the outcome. However, Kent Police’s sympathies remain with Mr Hardy’s family and those close to him.”
At this month’s inquest into Michael’s death, the jury returned a conclusion of suicide.
For confidential support on an emotional issue, call Samaritans on 116123 at any time.
