Inquest: Concerns raised over police investigation into death of Michaela Haines

Twenty-five-year-old Michaela Haines, originally from Pembroke, was found at Tudor Mount, Tenby in the early hours of December 23 of last year.

Paramedics, who arrived shortly after Tenby-based police officer PC Jayne Colley found Miss Haines hanged, declared Ms Haines had passed away at 3.11am that day.

At a recent pre-inquest hearing, concerns were raised that Miss Haines’ death was immediately treated as suicide, and there was a contamination of evidence, and an inadequate police investigation.

The family do not accept Miss Haines would take her life.

Concerns have also been raised at missing external CCTV footage, and a lack of interviews from some potential witnesses.

Yesterday, November 1, the first day of what is expected to be a two-week inquest, author of a post-mortem report on Miss Haines’ death, pathologist Dr Daniel Houser told the inquest there were no signs of suspicious circumstances.

A toxicology report stated Miss Haines had alcohol at a level of nearly twice the legal drink-drive limit in her blood, and levels of the ‘date rape’ drug GHB, which can be produced naturally by the body, were also found.

The cause of death was given as asphyxia by hanging.

Toxicologist Phillipa Wood said the levels of GHB had been found in blood following a request for a second test, finding 70 milligrams per millilitre of blood, a level which could cause drowsiness.

However, the inquest heard it was possible for the body to produce that level, or higher, naturally in some circumstances post-death.

The inquest heard from now-retired police officer Mrs Colley, who arrived from Tenby police station at 2.36am, having received a radio message that other officers, including DS Mark Briggs, were en-route from Pembroke Dock.

The-then PC Colley was flagged down in her police car by two Romanians, ‘Alex’ Miss Haines’ former boyfriend, and his friend Ionel, known as ‘John’, and was told by both that Miss Haines was dead, hanging inside the flats’ communal stairway.

PC Colley, with the help of ‘John’ took Miss Haines’ body down, before other police and the paramedics arrived.

Barrister Peter Donnison, for Michaela’s family, questioned whether she was breaking protocols to preserve potential evidence by untying Miss Haines, accompanied by ‘John’.

Mrs Colley said: “I was aware that there was a female hanging, possibly I didn’t want to go in on my own; I have a young daughter.

“I can’t remember whether I asked him to come or he volunteered, but I am very grateful for him coming in. I was the only officer present at the time; I asked ‘John’ to hold her body as I couldn’t handle her on my own, I didn’t want her to fall down; we laid her on the stairs, we gave her that respect.”

Mrs Colley said the potential crime scene was then preserved.

Concerns were raised during day one of the inquest that enquires had not been fully followed up by police, with possible missing CCTV footage.

Scene of crime officer Kenneth Greenish later stated the scene had been preserved “as best as possible,” adding: “If there was the slightest chance this young lady could’ve been saved I would’ve allowed anyone to take her down that could’ve managed it.”

DS Mark Briggs, following questions from Coroner Mark Layton, and Mr Donnison, conceded to the inquest the police STORM (System for Tasking and Operational Resource Management) report in to the ongoing investigation had been poorly recorded, and had led to a potential duplication of officers’ work.

He stated that all deaths were continuously reviewed and were “never a closed door”.

Mr Donnison told DS Briggs: “There is no evidence that this is suicide other than the body being found as it was, there was no history of suicide attempts.

“There are no witnesses present saying they had spoken to her and she was thinking of doing this; on the contrary you had people saying the opposite.”

He also said the STORM report failed to show if any post-incident enquiries had been followed up.

The inquest continues.