Met chief inspector facing child abuse charges took own life

A Metropolitan Police officer killed himself the day he was due to be charged with child abuse image offences, an inquest concluded.

Ch Insp Richard Watkinson’s body was found along with a handwritten note at his home in Saunderton in Buckinghamshire on 12 January.

He had failed to answer bail at Aylesbury Police Station that morning.

The inquest heard that his death occurred “against the background context” of the police investigation.

The hearing in Beaconsfield was told Mr Watkinson had worked in neighbourhood policing in Ealing in west London.

The Met had suspended him from duty after his arrest in July 2021.

The coroner’s court heard he was meant to answer bail and was due to be charged with conspiring with two colleagues to distribute or show indecent images of children to each other, three counts of making indecent photos of a child, voyeurism, and two counts of misconduct in public office.

On 12 January, police officers attended his address and, after knocking, they entered the property through the front door which was closed but not locked.

Buckinghamshire assistant coroner Alison McCormick said she was satisfied Mr Watkinson intended to take his own life.