A coroner has revealed that a victim of the Rochdale grooming gang was failed by police and the NHS in the weeks leading to her death. Charlotte Tetley, 33, died after being struck by a train in Macclesfield on 24 September 2024. She had been one of many women exploited by a sex trafficking ring in Greater Manchester.
An inquest at Warrington Coroner's Court heard that Ms Tetley had reported feeling suicidal on several occasions. On 5 September 2024, she sat on railway tracks intending to end her life. In the weeks prior, she was removed from a mental health inpatient bed list by NHS staff before a review had taken place.
Days before her death, hospital staff raised concerns for her welfare, but police officers refused to respond. Cheshire Police cited the 'Right Place Right Person' policy, which limits police response to immediate risk of serious harm. The Liaison Psychiatry Clinical Lead escalated the call, but officers maintained they would not search for Ms Tetley.
Coroner Sarah Murphy said Ms Tetley had a complex mental health history and was a victim of the Rochdale grooming gang, suffering significant sexual abuse. She was diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Ms Murphy noted that multiple opportunities to provide life-saving help were missed.
Ms Murphy has written to Cheshire Police and the Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust, demanding action to prevent further deaths. The inquest continues.
