Police trainee killed himself after telling family he was bullied

A trainee police officer killed himself after complaining to family that he was being bullied at work and having a nightmare his boss was 'trying to strangle him', an inquest has heard.

Anugrah Abraham, from Whitefield, Greater Manchester, was found dead in woods last year, the day he was due to return to work with West Yorkshire Police (WYP).

The 21-year-old - known to his loved ones as Anu - was 'set up to fail' because of a lack of support provided by the force, his family have said.

His father Amar Abraham told Rochdale Coroner's Court that his son claimed he was being 'bullied' and suffered racism at work, which was denied by WYP.

But senior coroner Joanne Kearsley ruled there was 'no evidence any steps should have been taken which would, on the balance of probabilities, have made a difference to the tragic outcome'.

Mr Abraham had been struggling with the pressure of working as a trainee police officer alongside studying for an apprenticeship degree through Leeds Trinity University before he killed himself on March 3, 2023.

The inquest into his death heard that he had been telling friends and family about his desire to quit the scheme in the weeks beforehand. 

Concluding the inquest yesterday, the coroner said the thought of returning to work 'was likely to have been a source of distress' to Mr Abraham before he died.

Mr Abraham's father told the hearing that his son appeared to be 'completely lost' and had told him he was suffering nightmares about his sergeant 'sitting on his chest and trying to strangle him'. 

Mr Abraham - who was described by his family as a 'gentle giant' - was born in Delhi, India before moving to the UK with his family in 2003. His father told the inquest he wanted to work in the police since he was a child.

He applied to join West Yorkshire Police in October 2021  and initially seemed 'happy', but problems allegedly began after he was posted to Halifax Police Station in April 2022.

Prior to the placement, Mr Abraham had been put on a development plan, the inquest heard, before being put on a different one in February 2023 amid concerns over his performance.

Mr Abraham Snr said: 'He said he was working six days and there was no time to do the assignments. He mentioned there is a bullying and racism culture there.'

He said his son complained of being under 'too much pressure' and claimed he was 'always criticised'. However, senior coroner Joanne Kearsley noted records showed officers had on occasion told the young recruit he had done a good job.

Mr Abraham told his father he wanted to quit but his dad said he advised him to find another job first. In the days before his death, Mr Abraham Snr said his son told him: 'I can't take it, so much pressure on me. There's no support from anywhere.'

GP records showed that Mr Abraham visited his doctor in June 2022 and complained of suffering low mood, stress and anxiety, but did not identify any 'triggers' for his feelings.

Elisheba Abraham, Mr Abraham's older sister, said her brother told her he was receiving counselling through work. In a text message in December 2022, Mr Abraham told his sister: 'I'm going to have a serious chat with mum and dad about quitting. I can't go on like this.'

The following month, he had a meeting with his district line manager following concerns about his performance.

She told Mr Abraham she thought he was 'massively struggling with the role'.  

In the same meeting, the trainee tearfully complained of depression and suicidal thoughts, so an urgent referral was made to WYP's occupational health unit.

Though it is supposed to take just five days to see an occupational health nurse or doctor, Mr Abraham was given an appointment in April 2023 - three months later.

In February, Mr Abraham was granted two weeks' leave and visited Amsterdam with a group of friends whom he confided in about the pressures he was facing at work.

One pal, Daniel Rogers, told the inquest: 'He mentioned it was exhausting. He mentioned being shouted at a lot. He felt he was being picked on at times.'

Mwenge Mwewa, another friend, said he was concerned that Mr Abraham was 'overworked' so urged him to quit, adding: 'He said that if he left, he would feel like it was all for nothing.'

When he returned from Amsterdam, Ms Abraham said her brother 'seemed worried' about going back to work. 

On March 3 - the day before he was due back - Mr Abraham spent time applying for jobs before leaving the family home.

When he failed to return that evening, he was reported missing to police. He was found dead in woodland in Radcliffe the next day.

Concluding the inquest at Rochdale Coroner's Court yesterday, the coroner ruled he died from suicide, adding she would prepare a prevention of future deaths report for the National Police Chiefs' Council about the difficulties addressing police officers' mental health.

In her ruling, the coroner added there was 'no evidence any steps should have been taken which would, on the balance of probabilities, have made a difference to the tragic outcome'.

Responding, Mr Abraham's family said they 'cannot fathom' how the coroner reached her decision.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigated allegations of bullying at WYP before Mr Abraham's death and said there was no evidence to indicate he was 'treated any differently to other student officers'.

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