Missing man search ‘inadequate’
Police failed to carry out a “full and systematic” search of the property of a missing Bo’ness man whose body was found there a month later.
Officers only spent five minutes searching Arnold Mouat’s garage and garden in July 2017. His body was found by a relative in the garage loft four weeks later. The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner said the “inadequate” search had added to the family’s distress.
Police officers spent around five minutes searching a garage where a man’s body was found a month later.
The remains of Arnold Mouat, 64, were discovered at his home address in Bo’ness, Falkirk on 5 August last year.
In a report published yesterday, the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) said a specialist police team had failed to carry out a “full and systematic” search of the property.
It said the entire search had been completed in 40 minutes, with just five minutes spent checking the garage and gardens.
Mr Mouat’s body was later found in the loft area of the garage by a relative. He had taken his own life.
Commissioner Kate Frame said: “Clearly, if the police had carried out a thorough search of the garage area, then it is highly likely that they would have discovered Mr Mouat’s body, something acknowledged by Police Scotland’s own internal review.
“In light of this case, I have made several recommendations which I have shared with the deputy chief constable to enable him to put measures in place and take corrective action to prevent such failings happening again.”
After he was reported missing last year, the police search for Mr Mouat included media appeals and the use of a marine unit to search water near Bo’ness.
In a statement released yesterday via the Pirc, his family said: “The past eight months have been incredibly difficult for our family as we have tried to come to terms with the loss of a loving father and husband.
“We are aware of the Pirc report and note that a number of recommendations have been made. Going forward we hope that Police Scotland will look carefully at these recommendations and that valuable lessons have been learned.”
Police Scotland’s own internal review of the conduct of the search at Mr Mouat’s home concluded that “crucially the search in the area of the garage cannot have been deemed to have been thorough and systematic, even if the remit had originally to have been only to look for the missing person, as all indications are that he was within the garage from day 1”.
Chief Superintendent Matt Richards said: “I apologise on behalf of Police Scotland and once again offer my sincere condolences to the family and friends of Arnold Mouat.
“I fully accept the findings from the review by the Pirc, and Police Scotland will continue to work with them to ensure all the lessons identified are addressed and built into our search protocols.”