Coroner calls for police action on gun checks after death of farmer

A FAILURE in police processes leading up to the death of a well-known Torbay farmer and councillor has been highlighted in an official coroner's report.

- by GUY HENDERSON [e-mail] @DevonLiveNews

Richard Haddock was given back his guns despite fears for his and his wife's safety, and the report says procedures were not effective.

Police say policies are regularly reviewed and updated, with public safety paramount.

Mr Haddock, 66, took his own life at his Churston farm shop in June 2023 using a shotgun which had been returned to him by police eight months previously.

An inquest heard that the guns had been taken away because there were concerns about Mr Haddock's mood after a series of highly stressful issues in his life.

The weapons were then handed back with police unaware that Mr Haddock was being prosecuted by the Environment Agency (EA) over a long-running investigation. The inquest, which was held in November, also heard he faced other stresses including bankruptcy and a health scare.

During the hearing Inspector Mitch Wallace, a police firearms licensing manager, said their department was never sent or never filed the information about the EA proceedings. She said: "If we had been made aware, it may have impacted the decision to return the guns."