A traffic sergeant who took his own life months after being charged with a driving offence had felt ‘disheartened’ that the Isle of Man Constabulary had forgotten about him following his arrest, an inquest heard.

The body of Sergeant Stephen Kenneth Hall was found on the old railway bridge over a stream near his home in Ballaugh just before 6pm on November 13 last year.

The much-respected 48-year-old officer in the roads policing unit had been suspended from duty in early July that year after being accused of failing to provide a breath sample.

He had been determined to plead not guilty.

The inquest heard that Sergeant Hall had had an ongoing troubled relationship with alcohol addiction, characterised by periods of abstinence punctuated with bouts of binge drinking.

He had relapsed when he felt overwhelmed by his pending court case.

There was no suggestion that he had ever worked under the influence of alcohol, however.

Recording a finding of suicide, Coroner James Brooks said he would be writing to the Chief Constable calling for a review of aspects of the Constabulary’s welfare officer system, and whether contact had ‘struck the right balance’.

A spokesperson for the Isle of Man Constabulary said any recommendations would be carefully considered by the force.

The inquest heard that Sergeant Hall had been appointed a welfare officer as a ‘critical friend’ to help him deal with his alcohol and mental health issues and signpost him to services. He’d also had informal contact from one of his superior officers.

A different welfare officer was appointed after his arrest and suspension and the informal contact from the superior officer ceased, amid concerns that criminal proceedings could be prejudiced.

But the inquest heard that Sergeant Hall had said he’d felt the ‘organisation had forgotten about him’.

In a written statement read out at the inquest, a friend and colleague Michael Dougherty described the deceased as an ‘exceptional police officer’.

He said the biggest disappointment was the Constabulary’s treatment of his friend, claiming the organisation had ‘failed in its duty of care’.

Inspector Taylor, who took over as Sergeant Hall’s welfare officer following his arrest, said he thought the Constabulary had treated him really well and he’d had the ‘support and ears of a lot of people’.

But he said the tipping point had come when matters strayed into the criminal arena. ‘At that point our hands were tied.’

He described Sergeant Hall as a ‘larger than life character’. ‘Everybody loved Steve. He really was a good officer and a great friend.’

Inspector Taylor had not been informed of the previous personal contact with the superior officer.

Asked why no further contact was made after early October, he replied: ‘I felt if he needed help, he would contact me. I didn’t want to be overbearing.’

The inquest heard Sergeant Hall had suffered flashbacks and nightmares following his attendance at a fatal sidecar collision during the Isle of Man TT back in 2022.

The Coroner said he suspected Sergeant Hall’s difficulties with alcohol related at least in part to memories of that 2022 incident.

Mr Hall’s widow Bernadette said she had seen her husband, via the doorbell video, leave the house without shoes on at just before 5.20pm on the evening of his death.

Sergeant Hall then sent a Whatsapp message to his third line manager Superintendent Daniel Rotchell giving his location and signalling his intention to end his life.

The inquest heard Sergeant Hall had been ‘up and down’ with his mental health and drinking. In the spring of 2024 he had been admitted to Manannan Court on a voluntary basis and was there for a week.

After that year’s TT he hit the alcohol again. His wife had taken him to Manannan Court but he threatened to run away and he ended up being sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Mr Hall’s mother Penelope said on the day her son died he had seemed more ‘upbeat’. ‘It has been a devastating shock for us all,’ she said.

A spokesperson for the Isle of Man Constabulary said: ‘Following the conclusion of the Coroner’s Inquest, the Isle of Man Constabulary (IOMC) reaffirms its sincere condolences and heartfelt sympathy to the surviving wife, children and wider family of the late Police Sergeant Stephen Kenneth Hall.

‘It is also appropriate to pay tribute to the valiant efforts of several officers who attended the scene, and attempted to save life in the most difficult of circumstances and the impact upon them cannot be under-estimated.

‘The IOMC notes the intention of the Coroner to write to the Chief Constable in relation to welfare arrangements for suspended officers and any recommendations he may make will be carefully considered by the IOMC in due course.

‘It is important to be clear, however, that the IOMC offers a wide range of welfare provision, which reflects best practice akin to other forces across the United Kingdom.

‘These provisions include post-incident debrief procedures aimed at the management of trauma, access to specialist external counselling services, and direct engagement with specialist mental health services whose role is to manage acute cases.

‘The IOMC also provides signposting to support services for those struggling with addiction. These comprehensive arrangements reflect the unusual demands of a role in the emergency services, and it must be emphasised that these provisions go far beyond the conventional welfare procedures of most employers.’

If you’ve been affected by any of the issues in this news story, there are a number of local organisations that can provide advice and support. For more information, visit www.gov.im/wellbeingsupport.