Rebekah Arter: Prevention of future deaths report
Skip to related content
Date of report: 04/03/2026
Ref: 2026-0252
Deceased name: Rebekah Arter
Coroner name: Andrew Harris
Coroner Area: South London
This report is being sent to: Home Secretary | Secretary of State for Justice | Independent Office for Police Complaints | Metropolitan Police Service
 REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS | |
|---|---|
| THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 1. Home Secretary, RT Hon [REDACTED] MP 2. Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Rt Hon [REDACTED] MP 3. Independent Office for Police Complaints 4. Metropolitan Police Service (Directorate of Professional Standards Organisational Learning Hub) | |
| 1 | CORONER I am Professor Andrew Harris, assistant coroner for the coroner area of South London. |
| 2 | CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS I make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 and Regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. |
| 3 | INVESTIGATION and INQUEST On 14 August 2024, an investigation was commenced into the death of Mrs Rebekah Arter, aged 47, on 28 June 2024 in Barbados. The inquest concluded on 27 August 2025. The medical cause of death was unascertained. The conclusion of the inquest was OPEN, likely involving intoxication. Unlawful Killing could not be excluded. |
| 4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH Rebekah was a hair stylist and teacher and lived with a police officer from 2006. Initially she alone used recreational cocaine, but by the time they married in 2016, he was a regular user of drugs, had developed hypersexualised behaviour, and increasingly exerted coercive control over Rebekah. He was dismissed from the police in 2023, and there was wide publicity about investigations into his conduct that had been pursued since 2016. Incidents of joint use of cocaine and GHB were witnessed, about which Rebekah was secretive with her wider family. She flew to Barbados with her husband for a holiday on 19 June 2024. Her death in his presence in their hotel room was reported to police on 28th June. He took an overdose and was admitted to hospital in Barbados. His accounts of the circumstances were inconsistent and unreliable; he died in prison in the UK shortly after. He sent an image of her, apparently heavily intoxicated, at 23.15 on 27 June and another of her body after death. His behaviour seemed to others to be inappropriate. In March 2024, the IOPC received a report from a known witness of further sexual offences by him and reported the allegations to the MPS for police investigation. The MPS received and recorded the allegations. However, due to errors relating to the use of the flagging tool on a complex new computer software programme used by the MPS called Connect, the allegations were not brought to the attention of a relevant police unit for investigation and other required action. It was not until 3 July 2024 that it was identified by the MPS that the report by the IOPC of criminal offences had not been actioned. Had this error not occurred it is likely that Rebekah’s husband would have been arrested and remanded. The police also became aware at this time of evidence of his domestic abuse and control and voyeurism of Rebekah. If he had been bailed, he would likely have had a condition of non-contact with his wife. |
| 5 | CORONER’S CONCERNS During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In my opinion there is a risk that future deaths could occur unless action is taken. In the circumstances it is my statutory duty to report to you. The MATTER OF CONCERN is as follows. That there may have been missed opportunities for the IOPC and Metropolitan Police Service from their investigations to identify that Rebekah was a victim of domestic abuse and coercive control, which would have enabled her to be protected. This is illustrated by these facts: That Rebekah had met her husband initially as a victim of a crime. That police investigations uncovered a large number of women with whom he had inappropriate relationships and that he misused his police powers. That he was dismissed from the police for drug offences in May 2023, but the risk to Rebekah was not apparently considered at that time. A witness has alleged that a video was sent by him of Rebekah [REDACTED] which the family allege was used to shame and enforce control over her, allegedly in 2023. A history of her having unexplained repeated bruises and injuries was available in 2024 to anyone who enquired about the risk of domestic abuse. [REDACTED] That in retrospect it is recognised by a Detective Chief Inspector that he was an exceptionally persistent and damaging offender against women, but no charges in relation to that had ever been brought. The coroner did not accept submissions from the family that the inquest engaged Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and ruled that details of the seven years of conduct investigations were beyond the scope of the inquest. |
| 6 | ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN It is recognised that the MPS will have taken a number of steps to improve investigations since 2016. The public will want to know of these. The issue of the abuse of police powers threatening the safety and lives of women has been a matter of considerable public interest. In my opinion this is a national issue of concern and that ministers should be informed of these matters to consider if any further investigation is needed to prevent future deaths and/or for the public to be reassured. |
| 7 | YOUR RESPONSE You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by 14 November 2025 I, the coroner, may extend the period. Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out the timetable for action. Otherwise, you must explain why no action is proposed. |
| 8 | COPIES and PUBLICATION I have sent a copy of my report to the Chief Coroner and to the following family members, who are Interested Persons: [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] I have also sent a copy to the charity, Refuge, who I believe may find it useful or of interest, and may also send them a copy of your response. I am also under a duty to send a copy of your response to the Chief Coroner and all interested persons who in my opinion should receive it. I may also send a copy of your response to any other person who I believe may find it useful or of interest. The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your response, about the release or the publication of your response. |
| 9 | Revised following High Court hearing 4th March 2026 19 September 2025 Andrew Harris |