Two teenagers tragically lost their lives in what appears to have been a suicide pact at a scenic location following their arrest on charges related to child sexual abuse images, an inquest revealed.
Jack Williams, 18, and Katherine Powell, 17, who was also known as Katie, became involved with social services after police detained them for allegedly possessing an indecent image of a child. Following their arrest, their baby was placed into care.
After being released on bail, the pair went missing, and their bodies were later discovered in the secluded woodland of Bothenhampton Nature Reserve, near Bridport, Dorset, on January 26, 2022.
Concerns about Katie’s mental health had been raised by her parents and social services, particularly fears that she might be suicidal. These concerns are likely to lead to questions about the police’s decision to grant bail during the inquest into their deaths.
Katie’s family has previously expressed the belief that the police could have taken greater measures to ensure her safety, possibly by denying bail to either or both of the teenagers to protect them.
The inquest, which began at Bournemouth Town Hall and is slated to last four weeks, opened with coroner Brendan Allen informing the jury that Mr. Williams had initially been arrested on November 22, 2021, on suspicion of possessing an indecent image.
He was then re-arrested, with Katie, on January 19 2022, on suspicion of the same offence.
Mr Allen said that neither Katie nor the couple’s child were the subject of the alleged image.
The inquest heard that Katie was reported missing by her family on January 22 and Mr Williams was reported missing on January 24.
Their bodies were found suspended from a tree at the nature reserve by a member of the public and they were declared dead at the scene by paramedics.
Jack Williams, 18, (right) and Katherine Powell, 17, (left) were found dead by a member of the public on January 25, 2022
The teens’ bodies were found at Bothenhampton Nature Reserve pictured here with police cordon tape strewn across the path
Their bodies were discovered by a member of the public at the nature reserve. A pre-inquest hearing heard the pair had been released from police custody days before the tragedy
The inquest heard the pair had met at school in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, in 2018, but Katie’s parents and teachers ‘began to notice a change in her behaviour’ and were concerned she was isolating herself from friends and family.
He said that in May 2020, during the first Covid lockdown, Mr Williams moved into privately-rented accommodation, and Katherine moved in with him three nights a week before they moved to West Bay, Dorset, in January 2021.
Mr Allen said that Katherine was pregnant at the time, leading to a referral to children’s services.
Mr Williams was arrested for the possessing an indecent image of a child in November 2021.
Katie and the baby returned home to Warwickshire, but within days her behaviour became ‘challenging’ again and her mother suspected she was back in touch with Mr Williams.
Dorset Police co-ordinated with authorities in Warwickshire in January 2022 that they were going to arrest Katie for the same offence.
She ran away to meet Mr Williams, leaving their child with her mother.
Mrs Powell reported her daughter to the police as a missing person and said she was concerned ‘she might do something daft like a suicide pact’.
Police arrested them both in West Bay on January 19, where Katie was described as ‘extremely depressed and agitated’.
At this point she gave permission for children’s services to take her child. The couple were released on police bail on the same day.
An aerial view of Bothenhampton Nature Reserve, a semi natural woodland near Bridport, Dorset
Brendan Allen, area coroner for Dorset, told the jury it was only an allegation and no criminal charges had been brought against either of them and the fact of the arrest must not prejudice them against Mr Williams or Katie.
He said the nature of the alleged offence meant there was an elevated risk of self-harm and suicide.
Mr Allen told the jury: ‘While Katie was in police custody Warwickshire children’s services asked her to provide consent for the child to be taken from her care into the care of the local authority.’
The hearing heard officers drove Katie back to her dad’s in Kenilworth, but two days later she fled in a taxi in the early hours of the morning to return to Mr Williams in Dorset.
Her father reported her missing and raised concerns about suicide as well as telling them to contact Dorset Police and check Mr Williams’s address in West Bay.
Dorset Police checked 24 hours later but got no answer. They tried another three times before Jack was also reported missing and entry was forced to the property.
Inside they found a whiteboard that suggested a plan to kill themselves.
Their bodies were found by a member of the public the following morning. A note was found in a rucksack nearby.
Mr Allen told the jury: ‘Jack was arrested by Dorset Police on suspicion of possession of an indecent image of a child.
‘Neither Katie nor their child were the subject of the image. It’s important to emphasise this was an allegation only. No criminal charges were brought against Jack.
‘This is relevant to your consideration because of the risk assessments that flow from such an arrest and the elevated risk of self-harm and suicide.
‘The fact of the arrest must not prejudice you against Jack or Katie.
‘Jack was released under conditional police bail. The conditions attached to that bail that Jack could not have contact with their child.
‘Police assessed Jack in relation to the risk he may harm himself or take his own life. Jack had a history of overdose and suicidality. On assessment in police custody he denied having thoughts of self-harm or suicide.
‘He declined to have a full mental health assessment.
‘Katie was aware of Jack’s arrest and elected to return to Warwickshire with her mother, but before leaving Dorset she spoke to a social worker and disclosed details consistent with her being a victim of coercive and controlling behaviour.
‘Examples being that Jack had put her abilities down, isolated her from family and friends and had primed her on what to say and how to behave in front of professionals.
‘Over the following days she retracted the comments she had made.’
The inquest continues.
