Police's probe into man's death to be reviewed

7 hours ago

Stewart CarrLocal Democracy reporter

News image — Scott Gough took his own life in March 2024, a coroner ruled

BBC A mirror selfie of a man in a bathroom with blue tiles. He is in his mid-50s and has a half-smile expression. Although the photo is cropped you can tell he has a suit, shirt and tie on and is freshly shaven. — Scott Gough took his own life in March 2024, a coroner ruled

A police force's investigation into a man's death will be reviewed by a separate force after his partner complained to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Scott Gough, 56, took his own life at his home in Chandler's Cross, near Watford, Hertfordshire, on 29 March 2024, the day after allegedly receiving a blackmail note.

His partner, Cameron Tewson, 32, said Hertfordshire Constabulary treated Gough's death as "a statistic" and failed to follow up on evidence that he may have been targeted by a gang of men on the gay dating app Grindr.

Bedfordshire Police has been appointed to conduct a review of the original investigation and undertake a new investigation if necessary.

A coroner ruled Gough's death as a suicide, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Tewson made four complaints to the IOPC and two were upheld.

The IOPC found Hertfordshire Constabulary "did not fully investigate" Tewson's complaints and that the delays added to his distress.

Tewson said: "I don't have faith in Herts police. I think they're absolutely diabolical."

He felt there was a "lack of interest" in his partner's case and it was not taken seriously.

Gemma Laister / BBC A man with black hair stares with a serious expression at the camera. He is wearing a wax jacket and a grey scarf and is posing in a park in front of some trees. — Cameron Tewson says there was a lack of interest in the case from police

"Scott wasn't suicidal, he wasn't depressed. There was nothing wrong with him. He was put into a corner he couldn't get out of and he died protecting me from knowing what had happened. That's how I see it," he added.

The night before his death a note including a phone number was left for Gough that read: "I think it's in your best interests to give me a call."

In February, a police Professional Standards Department (PSD) report found failures in the investigation into the 56-year-old's death, after a BBC investigation found multiple cases of suspected blackmail involving victims targeted on Grindr in Gough's local area, with at least four connected to the same gang.

Handout A double-sided piece of paper with a hand-scrawled note. One side reads "I think it's in your best interest to give me a call. Call this number." A phone number beneath the text is blurred out.
The reverse reads "to the owner of the white Range Rover" and has the car's reg number, which is blurred out. — Scott Gough was sent notes before his death

"From the beginning, Scott became a statistic… That kind of set the tone of what they were looking at," Tewson said.

The IOPC's report stated that within days of Gough's death, the same phone number that was included in the note left on his driveway was linked to similar alleged blackmail cases involving Grindr.

Although a group of individuals were later identified, the IOPC said there was no evidence their behaviour was "robustly investigated", adding that the rationale of the investigation was "unclear".

In February the BBC reported that the force's PSD determined a review was necessary and a blackmail investigation should have been considered.

Hertfordshire Police said there was learning in place following the PSD report and that the force was committed to "ensuring that members of the LGBTQ+ community feel supported" to approach it.

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.