Police chief is placed in coma after catching killer brain bug
A FORMER chief constable was left fighting for life after catching meningitis on an Easter trip to the Middle East.
Stuart Hyde, 54, who once led Cumbria Police, was struck down during a tour of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
He was initially put in a medically induced coma while the potentially deadly viral infection was treated.
Mr Hyde made headlines in 2013 when he spent a year touring holiday destinations while suspended on full pay from his £ 131,000- a- year job as acting chief constable.
He was later cleared of any wrongdoing but retired months later.
The e- crime expert, who holds the Queen’s Police Medal, has since become a co- director of the 4 Policing consultancy.
Now relieved friends of Mr Hyde have revealed he is out of his coma and talking to his family round his bedside.
Mike Pannett, his co- director at 4 Policing, said his family thanked everyone for messages of love and support which “helped them all so much”.
Earlier, senior police officers from across the UK had sent messages of support yesterday.
Inspector Michael Brown tweeted: “Really shocking news. We’re all in his corner fighting with him. Come on, Stuart, pull through.”
And Gloucestershire chief constable Suzette Davenport wrote: “Thoughts with him and his family. He is a fighter.” Mr Hyde was sus- pended from duty in September 2012 when Cumbria Police Authority was passed a dossier of evidence questioning his behaviour.
But while the inquiry ground on, Mr Hyde charted his travels on his personal website.
While off work he visited France, Andorra, the Isle of Man and various beauty spots in the UK.
The inquiry by South Wales Police concluded there was no evidence of misconduct but found Mr Hyde should be given “appropriate advice” on a dozen issues.
MPs fumed that taxpayers were saddled with a bill of up to £ 500,000 as a result of the inquiry.
Liberal Democrat MP Tim Farron said: “It has been an appalling waste of money.”