SPECIALIST search teams have been called on by police to carry out extensive searches in parts of West Somerset in the coming weeks following the disappearance of dangerous sex offender Richard Scatchard, who is wanted for questioning in a murder inquiry.
The development came as Avon and Somerset Constabulary accepted Scatchard may be dead.
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Scatchard, aged 70, vanished on October 16, the morning after Kelly Faiers, aged 61, of Weston-super-Mare, was found dead in his Minehead flat. There has been no confirmed sighting of him since.
Police said additional resources were now being committed to the search investigation with specialist officers, including the rope access team and police dogs, being deployed at locations across the Minehead and West Somerset area.
Officers attended Scatchard’s home immediately after the death of Ms Faiers, with whom he was in a relationship, knowing that he had been released early from a life prison sentence imposed for sex offences against women he had drugged. But they left the scene after speaking to him and when they returned the following afternoon there was no sign of him.
After initially putting out a missing persons alert and being concerned for Scatchard’s welfare, police changed his status to that of ‘wanted in connection with a murder inquiry’ and warned he was a danger to women, particularly those with whom he formed a relationship.
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Supt Lisa Simpson said on Monday (January 15): “We expect these latest inquiries to last a number of weeks. Searches on land and from the air were conducted once we learned of Scatchard’s disappearance. These have been supplemented by a large number of inquiries, including reviewing CCTV, distributing wanted posters, media appeals, and following up on potential sightings reported by the public. Sadly, these have failed to provide any certainty as to Scatchard’s whereabouts but we still want people to call us immediately should they see him. Therefore, we have worked with expert teams to plan a series of key searches over the coming weeks.
“These will be concentrating on a mix of previously covered areas, plus some more remote parts where access would be difficult or impossible without specialist training and equipment. We are conscious that after three months, no confirmed sightings, or proof of life, that crucial clues as to what has happened to Scatchard may be found in a more inaccessible location, especially if he has come to harm, which a member of the public or previous searches would not ordinarily come across. Ultimately, we hope to find Scatchard alive so we can question him, and continue to urge the public to contact us if they see him.
“Our priority remains to find Scatchard alive and arrest him, and any public information to help us achieve that aim will be gladly received.
“We wish to question Scatchard about what happened to Kelly in the hours leading up to her death, information we desperately want to be able to give her family.
“We have spoken with both Kelly’s family and Scatchard’s and been honest with them that there have been three months without proof of him being alive, and that is an extremely long time.
“While these searches are partly being carried out with that in mind, we remain open-minded that Scatchard may well still be alive and do not give up hope somebody can provide crucial information that leads to his arrest.”
More than 300 inquiries, including speaking to witnesses and obtaining CCTV, have been carried out by police since Scatchard disappeared.
Supt Simpson said it was known that Scatchard travelled to Watchet in the hours after police spoke to him and his last confirmed sighting via CCTV was in the Swain Street area at about 9 am on Monday, October 16. He was then seen near his home address in Blenheim Road, Minehead, about an hour later by somebody who knew him.
Over Christmas a review of further CCTV footage turned up a clip of a man answering Scatchard’s description riding a bicycle with silver handlebars in North Road, Minehead, and turning left onto The Avenue at about 10.15 am on October 16.
Supt Simpson said: “Efforts have been made to find further images which can help us confirm who the cyclist is, but unfortunately despite efforts from the investigation team the identity of the man riding the bike remains unconfirmed.”
However, she said there was a ‘strong chance’ the man was Scatchard and police were keen to hear from anybody who had seen a similar bike or, alternatively, believed they were the cyclist so the potential evidence could be eliminated from inquiries if it was not relevant.
A post-mortem on Ms Faiers failed to establish a cause of her death and further tests were carried out by the police major crime investigation team, who continue to treat it as ‘suspicious’.
Last week, the constabulary referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after a complaint from Ms Faiers’ family about the handling of the case.
A £10,000 Crimestoppers reward for information which leads to Scatchard’s arrest was issued last month and remains live.
Scatchard is described as white, about 5 ft 11 ins tall, of average build, with short grey hair. He speaks with a Scottish accent and has previously used the name ‘Richard Dunlop’.
Anybody who sees Scatchard is asked to immediately call 999 quoting reference number 5223259285 and not to approach him. Anybody with information about where he may be or the silver-handled bicycle should call 101, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 or via its website..
