Police criticise 'abhorrent' fake news murder post

Police have criticised an "abhorrent" social media post that incorrectly said a man had been murdered.

It follows the death of a man in St Paul's Avenue, Slough, on Thursday evening, in what Thames Valley Police currently believes to be due to natural causes.

But a post shared on Facebook, which included a photo from the scene of somebody on the ground, claimed a murder investigation had been launched.

Det Ch Insp David Whiteaker said: "This post is totally incorrect and is likely to cause great distress to the family of the man who has passed away."

In a statement the force also described the information as "factually and wholly incorrect" and asked people to "consider the family of the man" and not re-share the post or photo.

It said the death was being treated as "unexplained, but not suspicious", and that a file was being prepared for the Berkshire coroner.

Whiteaker added: "It is abhorrent to publish such information without any attempt to fact check with Thames Valley Police.

"Out of respect for the man's family, I would request that those who have shared this post please remove it, and not share it more widely.

"The family of the man who has died are aware and our thoughts remain with them at this extremely difficult moment."