Doctor took his own life with poison that Border Force could not stop being sent to him

A doctor took his own life with poison that Border Force was powerless to prevent being sent to his address, an inquest heard.

Dr Jonathan Shaw had ordered the substance from Malaysia online but had his parcel flagged and seized by officers when it arrived in the country, the inquest heard.

However, under current legislation the agency can only keep hold of such items for up to 30 days, and because the poison was not officially banned it was delivered to Dr Shaw nine days later.

Police were not told the package had been sent to him and although he told family and police he would dispose of it, Dr Shaw then used it to take his own life.

Concerns for Dr Shaw’s welfare

In a Prevention of Future Deaths Report, Catherine McKenna, the area coroner for Manchester North, has said there should be greater consultation between police forces and UK Border Force.

The inquest heard Dr Shaw had purchased poison from Malaysia online, which was stopped by UK Border Force before being delivered to him.

The parcel had been flagged by the National Fast Parcels Targeting Team, which received intelligence about the Malaysian company and information about concerns for Dr Shaw’s welfare and the risk to life.

It was heard that officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) made contact with Dr Shaw and told him the parcel had been stopped by UK Border Force.

But when Border Force released the package after nine days without examining its contents or consulting with GMP, Dr Shaw hid it and told family and police he had got rid of it, before using its contents to end his life.

‘Significant missed opportunity’

“There is no evidence that the officers were informed by UK Border Force of the timescales before release and the officers would most likely not have been aware that UK Border Force could only lawfully keep hold of the package for 30 days,” Ms McKenna said.

“UK Border Force released the package nine days after its arrival in the UK and without examining its contents or consulting with GMP.”

After recording a verdict of suicide, Ms McKenna said the lack of consultation between Border Force and GMP represented a “significant missed opportunity”.

She concluded that Dr Shaw would “most likely” have agreed to the safe destruction of the package if he had been asked before it came into his possession.

‘Action should be taken’

Now, she has said evidence from the inquest revealed “matters giving rise to concern”.

“In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken,” she wrote.

She said UK Border Force does not have legal powers to seize the specific package used because it is not a “prohibited poison under the Poisons Act 1972”.

“If there is an ongoing police investigation or police interest in a particular consignment, the UK Border Force can use section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 to stop and hold.

“However, the holding power is limited to 30 days, after which the consignment must be released.

“There is no national guidance or training provided to police forces or the UK Border Force on joint working around the management of consignments of the poison from overseas which have been ordered by individuals inside the UK for the purpose of ending their own life.

“There is no legal requirement to alert the local police force before a consignment is released or to request a welfare check during which the recipient could be invited to agree to the safe destruction of the parcel by the police or UK Border Force.”

Addressing the chairman of the National Police Chiefs’ Council and James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, she added: “In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe each of you respectively have the power to take such action.”

They have until June 21 to respond.