A coroner has raised serious concerns about West Yorkshire Police’s handling of a trainee officer’s mental health before his tragic suicide
Halifax: A coroner has really taken West Yorkshire Police to task over how they handled a trainee officer’s mental health issues before he took his own life. Anugrah Abraham, just 21, was found dead in March 2023, and it’s a heartbreaking situation.
Coroner Joanne Kearsley looked into the case and was pretty upset with how the police responded when Anu shared his suicidal thoughts. She pointed out that the email he received from a district sergeant didn’t show any care at all, which is just shocking.
After Anu expressed his feelings in January, they referred him to the Occupational Health Unit, but the earliest appointment was three months later. Kearsley believes that was way too long to wait for someone in crisis.
His family, who are from Manchester, have claimed he faced bullying and racism, but the police disputed that. An investigation didn’t find solid evidence of those claims, but it did say he was treated unfairly.
Kearsley’s report highlighted that the police need to do better. She suggested hiring a mental health nurse for the Occupational Health Unit and stressed the need for clearer guidelines on how to support officers who are struggling.
She made it clear that action is needed to prevent this from happening again. The police have said they’ll review the coroner’s findings and respond by March 12, which is a step in the right direction.
It’s a tough situation, and our thoughts are with Anu’s family and friends during this difficult time.
