Police in Minehead, United Kingdom are under fire for their handling of a case involving a convicted sex offender who is wanted in connection with the alleged murder of a woman. The family of the victim, Kelly Faiers, expressed their frustration with the authorities for not disclosing the criminal history of the suspect, Richard Scatchard, who is now on the run.
According to the family, they had to resort to Google to find out that Scatchard was a convicted sex offender with a history of drugging his victims. They also accused the police of failing to arrest him at his home and neglecting to inform them of the suspicious nature of Faiers’ death, leaving them feeling unsafe.
Faiers, a mother of four, had recently come out of a marriage of over 20 years before meeting Scatchard on a dating app. Their relationship took a tragic turn when she was found dead at Scatchard’s home on October 15th, prompting a murder investigation. Despite being on the run and added to Crimestoppers’ Most Wanted list, Scatchard has yet to be located.
The police are treating Faiers’ death as suspicious and have referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, responding to the family’s formal complaint. Meanwhile, they continue to search for Scatchard, whom they consider to be a danger to the public, particularly to women with whom he forms relationships. The case continues to raise concerns about the handling of dangerous individuals and the duty of law enforcement to protect the public from potential harm.
As the investigation into Faiers’ death and the search for Scatchard remain ongoing, the family is calling for justice and answers from the police, as they continue to mourn the loss of a “loving, always smiling” mother. No concrete leads on Scatchard’s whereabouts have been confirmed, despite reported sightings and specialized support from law enforcement agencies.