Lancashire Police apologises after inquest finds serious failings contributed to death in custody

When 35-year-old Kelly Hartigan-Burns was found wandering through a Lancashire town in a distressed state, it was clear she desperately needed help.

But she ended up in police custody, where she took her own life.

Six years later, an inquest has found serious police failures contributed to her death including a lack of compassion.

It prompted Lancashire Police to apologise for the first time, while the coroner announced he’d be writing to the home secretary with his concerns about the way police record information about mental health.

Warning: Some of the issues raised in this report are distressing.