Top UK police chief is found dead

[Seamus OBlimey]

Top UK police chief is found dead

The head of one of the biggest police forces in Britain has been found dead.

Michael Todd, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police, disappeared while out walking on Snowdon, north Wales, on Monday night.

Rescue teams found the 50-year-old's body on part of the mountain called Bwlch Glas on Tuesday afternoon.

The cause of his death is not yet known but suicide is understood to be one line of inquiry. Letters addressed to his family were also found.

Deputy Chief Constable Dave Whatton confirmed the death of his friend, a father-of-three, in a statement outside force headquarters in Manchester on Tuesday evening.

He said: "Yesterday, Michael Todd, the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police was off-duty and walking in Snowdonia.

"Last night we became concerned for his welfare and as a result searches started to find him.

"These searches have continued today and unfortunately this afternoon a body has been found.

"I and all the officers of Greater Manchester Police and all the members of Greater Manchester Police Authority are absolutely shocked by what's happened and what has taken place in the last 16 hours."

Mr Whatton said although the body had yet to be formally identified, he believed it was that of the chief constable.

Reports of his disappearance emerged after a large scale search was reported in Nant Peris, above the village of Llanberis, Gwynedd.

Mountain rescue team vehicles, police and RAF mountain rescue vans were all involved in the hunt.

The Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team began the task of taking his body off the mountain on foot at about 1800 GMT.

Spokesman Ian Henderson said teams had been hampered by "appalling" weather conditions, including heavy rain and high winds, which meant rescuers could not use a helicopter.

Mr Henderson confirmed that the alarm was raised by walkers who found "personal effects" belonging to Mr Todd while out on the mountain.

His body was spotted later about 200 yards away from the spot where the items were found, he added.

Sources at Greater Manchester Police said that among the items found with him were personal letters written to his loved ones, the BBC's Nick Ravenscroft said.

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith led a series of tributes to Mr Todd, saying she was "saddened" to learn of his death.

"Chief Constable Todd has had a long and distinguished career in various forces and has contributed greatly to the fight against crime and terrorism," she said.

"My thoughts are with his family, friends and colleagues."

Mr Todd, a former Met Police assistant commissioner, joined GMP in 2002. He also worked in Essex and Nottingham.

He was appointed chief constable in Greater Manchester, England's second largest force, in October 2002 following the retirement of Sir David Wilmot.

He had been a police officer for more than 30 years, having joined Essex Police in 1976, and was tipped to become Britain's highest-ranking officer.

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Top officer sent 'worrying texts'

Greater Manchester Police chief Michael Todd sent a series of "worrying" text messages before he was found dead in north Wales, the BBC has been told.

Mr Todd, 50, was found dead about 100m from the summit of Snowdon on Tuesday afternoon, his body covered in snow.

There was no sign of trauma on his body and the north Wales coroner said a post-mortem examination had found "no obvious cause of death".

The inquiry into his death is looking at the possibility of suicide.

Mr Todd had been off-duty on Monday and had spent the day walking in the Welsh mountains.

The alarm was raised after he sent the messages to various people, which caused concern for their safety and his own, the BBC has learnt.

The search for him began in the early hours of Tuesday but it was later in the day that hill walkers reported seeing a body near the summit of Snowdon.

His body was found on part of the mountain called Bwlch Glas at about 1500 GMT, with some of his outer clothes missing.

Sources said Mr Todd was found lying down on a sloping track next to a bottle of spirits.

Tests have found no obvious signs of trauma, suggesting he did not jump or fall to his death.

Further tests are being carried out to determine if any alcohol or drugs were in his blood.

Coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones said the post-mortem examination took place on Wednesday morning.

He added: "We're hoping to have the toxicology done by tomorrow morning."

A number of letters addressed to his loved ones have since been found but police said no letters were found at or near the scene of his death.

An inquest into Mr Todd's death is to open on Thursday.

The father-of-three, who lived in a flat in Manchester city centre, was known to have previously separated from his wife.

The BBC has also learnt that Mr Todd suffered from bouts of depression, and had previously threatened suicide.

On Wednesday, a series of front line officers gave their tributes to their former chief, while Assistant Chief Constable David Thompson described Mr Todd as one of the "world's best police leaders".

"He put the Great back into Greater Manchester by his charismatic leadership, the trust and confidence he placed in all our staff and the new and innovative thinking he brought to the challenges we face and, of course, his unique sense of fun," said Mr Thompson.

He said crime was down in Greater Manchester since 2002 when Mr Todd joined the force, which he had turned into an "effective crime fighting organisation".

But he added: "As a force we feel a huge loss with Michael, but it pales into insignificance to the loss his family are facing. And we're offering them all the support we can at a really terrible time for them."

One officer - 32-year-old Pc Geoffrey Hince - described Mr Todd as a great leader whom he was honoured to work for.

"He was just a copper's cop. He wanted to get out there, he wanted to feel people's collars, he got out there in the thick of it," said Pc Hince.

Books of condolence have been opened at Manchester Cathedral and online at the Greater Manchester Police website.

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