Manchester police chief Michael Todd is found dead at bottom of cliff

Investigators will trawl through hundreds of Todds text messages and emails, as well as examining the finances of the former police chief.

Investigators will look at his expenses claims, the use of his force car and are also expected to scrutinise Mr Todd's desktop computer to see what websites he looked at, although there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing.

Officers will question his alleged lovers, as well as Mr Todd's chauffeur.

No decision has yet been made as to whether the report will be published.….

A private service for family and close friends only was held at a village church near the home he shared with his wife, Carolyn, and their three children in Halam, Nottinghamshire.

The 50-year-old's family had previously appealed for media not to attend, and the timing and further details of the service were not made public.

The former Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP) disappeared on the evening of Monday March 10, after speaking of personal troubles to senior colleagues.

His body was found on Mount Snowdon, North Wales, the next day, with a bottle of gin at his side. Tests showed he was over the legal drink-drive limit, but the exact cause of death, an apparent suicide, has not been established.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned.…

THE funeral of police chief Michael Todd will be held this Friday near his family home, it was announced yesterday.

A private, family service for the former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police (GMP), who was found dead in Snowdonia last week, will take place at a church near the home he shared with wife Carolyn and their three children, in Halam.

A spokeswoman for the force said the occasion was for family and close friends only.….

A police force is to investigate whether the personal life of Michael Todd, chief constable of Greater Manchester, adversely affected his professional duties in the run-up to his death on a Welsh mountain, it was announced on Saturday.

Paul Scott-Lee, chief constable of West Midlands, will look at whether Todd's domestic situation had compromised the service, a spokesman for the force said.

Acting chief constable Dave Whatton and the chairman of Greater Manchester Police Authority had asked Scott-Lee to conduct the examination.

Media reports said Todd had spoken to colleagues about problems in his personal life in the days before his death….

The body of Manchester police chief Michael Todd has been released to his family in order for funeral arrangements to be made.

The snow-covered body of Mr Todd, 50, was found on Snowdon on Tuesday.

An inquest, which has yet to establish the cause of Mr Todd's death, was opened and adjourned on Thursday.

Anglesey coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones was told tests had shown Mr Todd had consumed some alcohol - enough to put him twice over the driving limit.

His body was fully clothed but the garments were only light. There were no external injuries.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: "There was no evidence this man had jumped from height or sustained any significant injuries."

He said releasing the medical information about Mr Todd was needed to "allay suspicion and fears".….

The widow of the police chief found dead in north Wales described him as a "loving father and husband"

In a statement, his wife Carolyn said: "Michael was a caring and loving father and husband. He was immensely proud of his kids.

"I loved Michael very much and the last time I spoke to him he told me he loved me too. The whole family is struggling to come to terms with his death."

The couple and their three children -- a daughter 16, and twin sons 13 -- had just returned from a family holiday in Jamaica, she added. The pair had been married for 27 years.

In her first public comments since the death, his wife said the pair had not separated.

"He worked away from home on the second most important thing in his life, his job, returning to us at the weekend and for family holidays," she said in the statement..….

A half-finished bottle of gin was recovered next to the body of Michael Todd, the Manchester chief constable who was found dead in Snowdonia, a source said today.

Dewi Pritchard-Jones, the coroner for north Wales, said tomorrow's inquest would last longer than the usual opening and adjournment so as to deal with all the rumours surrounding the case, some of which were "absolutely incorrect", he said….

Michael Todd, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police (UK), has been found dead.

 

His body was discovered at the bottom of a cliff in Llanberis, north Wales.

A police spokesman said Mr Todd went missing on Monday night while walking in Snowdonia.

Officers became concerned for his welfare and a search was conducted and a body found.

Police said the body had not been formally identified, but they "believe" it is Mr Todd.

Deputy Chief Constable Dave Whatton said: "Yesterday our chief constable Michael Todd was off-duty walking in Snowdonia.

"Last night we became concerned for his welfare and as a result searches started to find him.

"These searches have continued today and unfortunately this afternoon a body has been found.

"I believe it is Michael but we have not been able to formally identify him at this time.

"The weather conditions are extremely bad at the moment and are hindering our inquiries.

The rescue operation involves not only LLANBERIS MOUNTAIN RESCUE but the RAF and Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team which was called today at 2.30pm to assist in the search.

An RAF spokesman said a helicopter from RAF Valley in North Wales was scrambled to help in the search and it could be 8pm before the body is removed. ….

The Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team began the task of taking his body off the mountain on foot on Tuesday evening.

It was brought down at about 1930 GMT and transferred by ambulance to Gwynedd Hospital at Bangor.

Rescue spokesman Ian Henderson said teams had been hampered by "appalling" weather conditions, including heavy rain and high winds, which meant rescuers could not use a helicopter.

Mr Henderson confirmed that the alarm was raised by walkers who found "personal effects" belonging to Mr Todd while out on the mountain.

His body was spotted just before 1500 GMT about 200 yards away from the spot where the items were found, he added. .….

The cause of his death is not yet known but suicide is understood to be one line of inquiry. Letters addressed to his family were also found. ….

Michael Todd, the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester, had written notes to members of his family which indicated an intent to commit suicide, sources said.

Telephone conversations with some of his closest friends shortly before he went missing led them to believe he had personal problems and might be contemplating suicide.

For the past 10 years Mr Todd had seen his wife Carolyn 47, and children only at weekends, as they lived in Halam, Notts, while he lived in a flat in the centre of Manchester.

Colleagues believe the arrangement had put the marriage under strain and say Mr Todd regretted not being able to spend more time with his daughter, 16, and 13-year-old twins.

One police source said: "He had spoken to a number of people yesterday about his state of mind. We knew it [suicide] was on his mind. A number of personal items were found by his body — various notes written to members of his family."
….

Mr Todd, 50, who had been tipped as a possible future Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, served as a policeman for more than 30 years after beginning his career with Essex Police in 1976.
He was appointed an Assistant Chief Constable in Nottinghamshire in 1995, and in 1998 was appointed as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner responsible for policing the North West Area of London.

In 2000, following his promotion to Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police, he was responsible for high profile operations including the policing of May Day demonstrations, Notting Hill Carnival and the Queen's Jubilee celebrations. He became Chief Constable of GMP in 2002.

He held a masters degree in politics, and listed his interests as mountain biking, computer games and reading, particularly military and political biographies.

Sir Ian Blair, the current Met Commissioner, said he was shocked and saddened by the news of Mr Todd's death: "He made a significant contribution to policing in the capital.".….

Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) president Ken Jones said: "While we must await formal identification by the coroner, we now have to address the awful prospect that Mike Todd has lost his life.

"Mike has made an enormous contribution to policing in Manchester and nationally throughout his distinguished career. The news of his apparent death is a tragedy and he will be greatly missed by chief officer colleagues and all who worked with him during his career. As a personal friend and valued supporter, I will miss him greatly."

He added: "Acpo headquarters has received already a huge volume of calls from colleagues across the policing family and in government who were shocked at the news and join us in conveying their support for his family. He has been vice-president of the association and actively involved in the national effort against terror.

"He has also been a progressive and persuasive voice in the debate about how policing can best serve the public in this country, taking a major role in many Acpo initiatives on behalf of national policing."

Jan Berry, chairman of the Police Federation of England & Wales, said: "Mike was a very popular police officer who, despite his rank, never forgot the dangers and pressures those on the frontline face. He was, and will be always be remembered as, a coppers' copper."

The Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "Chief Constable Todd has had a long and distinguished career in various forces and has contributed greatly to the fight against crime and terrorism." .….

Todd was known as being particularly media-friendly - his Greater Manchester police profile notes that he gave 66 separate radio and TV interviews during the 2001 May Day demonstrations in London.

Last May, in a highly public attempt to demonstrate the safety of Taser guns, Todd was filmed receiving a 50,000-volt jolt to his back from one of the incapacitation weapons. Collapsing in agony, he said later: "And yes, it hurt like hell and no, I wouldn't want to do it again.".….