Richard Haddock: Prevention of future deaths report
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Date of report: 16/12/2025
Ref: 2025-0627
Deceased name: Richard Haddock
Coroner name: Alison Longhorn
Coroner Area: County of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay
Category: Suicide (from 2015)
This report is being sent to: Devon & Cornwall Police
 REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS | |
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| THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 1. Devon & Cornwall Constabulary | |
| 1 | CORONER I am Alison Longhorn, Area Coroner for the coroner area of the County of Devon, Plymouth & Torbay. |
| 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 31st May 2023 I commenced an investigation into the death of Richard Haddock, 66 years of age. The investigation concluded at the end of the inquest on 24th November 2025. The conclusion of the inquest was suicide. |
| 4 | CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH Richard Haddock was a shotgun certificate holder. In February 2020, a member of the public contacted the police as Mr. Haddock’s wife was requesting that they seized his guns for safekeeping; Mr. Haddock was suffering from stress due to a civil legal dispute, and his wife was concerned that he would use the guns to ‘hurt himself or her’. The police duly seized the guns, and a suitability review took place. In the intervening period Mr. Haddock’s certificate was also due for renewal and he submitted his renewal application. The shotgun certificate remained under review for some time; information was sought from his GP which did not note any concerns, but the police were aware that Mr. Haddock had a significant civil court judgment made against him which resulted in the family farm being sold. On 7th November 2022, the police returned Mr. Haddock’s firearms to him. On 25th June 2023, Mr. Haddock used his shotgun [REDACTED]. During the hearing, evidence was heard that Mr. Haddock had been charged with several criminal offences by the Environment Agency and had entered guilty pleas at Crown Court just days before his death. His wife explained that he was very concerned about receiving a sentence of imprisonment. Despite the fact that the Environment Agency had followed the correct procedure to notify the police of their prosecution, and it was showing on Mr. Haddock’s PNC record on 11th October 2021 (before the firearms were returned to him), the inquest was told that the Firearms Licensing Department were completely unaware of the prosecution. [REDACTED] giving evidence, told the court that had the Department been aware of the prosecution, it is likely that the guns would not have been returned to him at that time. |
| 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 MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows. (1) The police process which should have ensured that the Firearms Licensing Department was notified of the Environment Agency’s prosecution of Mr. Haddock failed to be effective (2) The offences with which Mr. Haddock had been charged by the Environment Agency were correctly placed onto Mr. Haddock’s PNC record on 11th October 2021 – a year before the final decision was made to return his shotgun to him in November 2022. The Firearms Licensing Department had not checked his PNC record since 4th August 2021 (more than a year before the final decision to return his guns was made) and were therefore unaware of the prosecution. |
| 6 | ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and your organization have the power to take such action. |
| 7 | YOUR RESPONSE You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, namely by 4th March 2026. 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 Interested Persons ([REDACTED], the Environment Agency) 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 | 16/12/2025 Area Coroner County of Devon, Plymouth and Torbay |