Sutcliffe, Peter Alan
Deceased
Peter Alan Sutcliffe
Demographics
39y, male
Date of death
2011-01-25
Finding date
2013-11-19
Cause of death
Hanging
AI-generated summary
Peter Alan Sutcliffe, a 39-year-old man with a history of alcoholism, domestic violence, and depression, died by hanging during a police siege at a residence in Edmonton, Queensland on 25 January 2011. After an altercation with his former partner, police were called. Sutcliffe took refuge in a backyard shed, made threats, and during a 30-minute period while SERT officers were positioning themselves and negotiators attempted engagement, he hanged himself. The coroner found the police response was reasonable and proportionate, with appropriate tactical decisions made by senior commanders. No medical or clinical failures were identified. The death highlighted limitations in night vision equipment depth perception, though this was not found to have changed the outcome.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Drugs involved
Clinical conditions
Contributing factors
- Acute intoxication (blood alcohol 0.17%)
- Non-compliance with antidepressant medication
- Unobserved by police during 30-minute period due to darkness and limited sightlines
- Lack of depth perception in night vision scope preventing detection of hanging position
Coroner's recommendations
- No formal recommendations made. Coroner noted limitations in night vision equipment depth perception but found insufficient evidence that improved equipment would have changed the outcome.
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