A man found dead in a park after he was reported missing had a 'history of mental health issues', a coroner said. John Winterton, 26, was reported missing after disappearing from Sale Road, Wythenshawe, at around 3am on August 18, 2021.
Police confirmed that officers searching for Mr Winterton, of Yew Tree Lane, Wythenshawe had found a body on the evening of August 25.
READ MORE:
At a pre-inquest review held at Manchester Coroners' Court on December 5, Area Coroner Zak Golombeck asked for a number of documents from Greater Manchester Police and the Independent Police Complaints Commission to be made available.
He declared Mr Winterton's parents, his girlfriend Brittany Bennett, GMP and the IPCC as interested parties.
Mr Golombeck referred to Mr Winterton having history of mental health issues at the time of a 999 call made on August 9, for which GMP graded Mr Winterton to be a medium risk of suicide during their assessment.
He said there was no arguable breach by GMP during their assessment that would engage an article 2 ( engaged if there is suspicion that a death resulted from the state breaching its duty to protect the deceased against a human threat or other risk.)
He also stated there would not be a jury present at the future inquest.
Mr Golombeck asked for an inquest bundle of GMP policy and procedure documents, control works logs and a transcript of calls to be put together. He also asked the IPCC to put together a number of documents. He said he would be looking to set a date for an inquest hearing in the first few months of the new year.
Following Mr Winterton's death, his family paid tribute to the “one in a million” man, and John’s girlfriend Brittany Bennett spoke about her dream of marrying him.
Recalling some of her favourite memories, she said: “John always wore his heart on his sleeve, he’d do anything and everything for anyone.
“He loved landscape gardening - he bought a plant from Tesco three Christmases ago and planted it in the garden and it’s grown massive, he was so pleased with it.
“The smallest things made him so happy."
READ NEXT:
- "I told him not to drink that whisky”: Man attacked stewardess after she saw him out of his seat during landing
- 'I am broken beyond words:' Family's heart break as son, 5, dies choking on a pin
- Driver died after Audi and Fiat 500 began 'racing' through the streets at high speed, jury told
- Manchester named one of the best places to visit in the UK in 2023 by Time Out
- Controlling man called partner 'dumbolino' and said 'it's like looking after a baby' after she suffered stroke
