LINDSAY McINTOSH looks at the career and apparently troubled private life of the police chief found dead on Snowdon.
GALE-FORCE winds cracked against the Welsh mountainside, whipping snow across the prone body of Michael Todd, the man once tipped to become the UK's most senior police officer.
Beside him lay his coat and a half-empty bottle of gin, which had fall
en from his grasp as he seemingly succumbed to hypothermia. He had with him, sources would later claim, letters to his young family, and in the hours before his death he was said to have sent a series of "worrying" text messages from his mobile phone.
Rescue crews struggled against the unforgiving conditions of Tuesday afternoon to bring down from Snowdon the body of the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, a man respected – in some cases revered – by officers, politicians and the media.
As news of his death spread, glowing tributes poured in. Pictures were released of him holding a Superman mug, and accounts of his bravery were told and retold. But with them came suggestions that beneath all this – or despite it, or because of it – was a man who had embarked on a series of extra-marital affairs, and who had become so tied up in guilt that he had chosen to end his life.
The 50-year-old was reported missing on Monday night, and a major search was launched after walkers discovered his personal belongings near the mountain peak. In the preceding days, he had hinted at the way he was feeling, and there was a growing sense of worry within the force over his wellbeing.
"He had spoken to a number of people in the 24 hours before his death about his state of mind," a source said. "We knew this was on his mind, but no-one believed this could have happened. It has come as a total shock to us all."
There were claims that he had fathered an illegitimate child who lived in London with the child's mother, a Metropolitan Police officer. He was described as "handsome and charismatic… always popular with women", and it was said to be an "open secret" that he had had at least one affair with a policewoman on the force.
Separated from his wife and living in a flat in Manchester, he was prone to bouts of depression and had spoken of suicide.
A source close to the rescue dismissed reports he was found half-naked or that there were signs of his wrists being cut. He said: "The body was found next to a half-full bottle of gin, slumped face down on a gentle slope. There was no evidence of any pills or tablets, but that is something the coroner will have to look at. His jacket was found nearby. It is nonsense that he was half-dressed. He could have walked down the street without anyone raising an eyebrow."
He added that it was possible Mr Todd, who had been tipped to succeed Sir Ian Blair as Britain's highest-ranking officer, was suffering from hypothermia.
As books of condolence opened in the area, sources would not be drawn on what might have pushed the chief constable to end his life, but there was speculation that Sunday newspapers could have been planning an exposé on him.
As the speculation and the salacious rumours reached fever pitch yesterday afternoon, the authorities began to attempt to rein them in. Greater Manchester Police insisted no notes had been found at the death scene.
And the coroner for North West Wales, Dewi Pritchard Jones, said a post-mortem examination had found "no obvious cause of death". Last night, he added: "We're hoping to have the toxicology done by tomorrow morning."
Today, rather than an inquest being opened and adjourned, a pathologist, Dr Anthony Caslin, will outline his preliminary findings.
Mr Pritchard Jones said: "Initially, it was just going to deal with evidence of identification, but that has changed because of the post-mortem examination and because of all the rumours and stories floating around. Some are absolutely incorrect.
"The pathologist will give a preliminary report of his examination at that opening. And we are carrying out further work – histology and toxicology work is being carried out."
Mr Todd, a first-class honours graduate, had been a police cadet before joining the force in 1976 as a constable in Billericay, Essex. Over two decades, he served in other Essex towns – Basildon, Chelmsford, Southend, Thurrock and Harlow – before being promoted to assistant chief constable with Nottinghamshire Police.
He joined the Metropolitan Police Service as a deputy assistant commissioner, overseeing several high-profile operations, including the May Day riots and the Queen's Golden Jubilee, before being promoted to assistant commissioner. He was awarded the Queen's Police Medal in 2001. He had headed Greater Manchester Police since 2002.
Before his death, Mr Todd had been tipped to succeed Sir Ian Blair as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.
A "copper's copper", he had been keen to engage with the public and the media to ensure the role of the police was properly understood. He was filmed being shot with a Taser gun in a bid to prove they were safe. Afterwards, he admitted it "hurt like hell".
Paul Murphy, chairman of the Greater Manchester Police Authority, described he as a "great chief constable and exceptional leader".
The former home secretary, David Blunkett, said: "Michael Todd was a decent and committed policeman who did a first-class job in difficult circumstances. His death is a real tragedy."
Paul Horrocks, the editor of the Manchester Evening News, said he was "utterly, utterly stunned" at news of the chief constable's death. He said: "He was an extremely dedicated police officer who regarded media relations as a very important part of his job. There was never a time when Michael Todd would ignore your call or would not respond to a properly put request."
The full article contains 998 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
