Manhunt call too near end of helicopter staff’s shift

A POLICE helicopter that could have saved a young man’s life was not deployed because staff were due to go off duty, an inquest heard.

Officers, family and friends had been desperately searching for 21-year-old Danny Cavill who had threatened to harm himself after a night out.

He was still alive when a request was put in to South Yorkshire Police for a helicopter to help find him but night duty staff declined as their shift was due to end 20 minutes later.

An official investigation discovered that because “a life was at risk” the shift should have been extended by an hour and Mr Cavill, who hanged himself, could have been saved.

Chief Inspector David Butler of South Yorkshire Police’s internal affairs department, carried out an investigation into the response.

He told the inquest in Rotherham: “We will never know if the helicopter would have found Danny that morning, in my view it should have been given the opportunity.”

A police sergeant has been reprimanded and air support staff given further training following the tragedy at Sitwell Park Golf Club, near Whiston, Rotherham where the 21-year-old was an assistant greenkeeper.

Chief Insp Butler outlined a series of mistakes by the force and said another helicopter could have been called in from neighbouring forces but the call was never made.

The inquest heard Mr Cavill, who was drunk, was thrown out of Liquid nightclub in Rotherham at about 2am on Saturday May 7, last year.

He phoned his best friend Josh Hill, 21, in a distressed manner and told him: “Nobody likes me, I can’t get in contact with anyone. I’m going to do something stupid.” After Mr Hill raised the alarm, police were called in.

Sergeant Kevin Bradley, who was later reprimanded, said the family did not believe Mr Cavill would carry out the threat and he only rated the incident as “medium risk” so did not call on another force’s helicopter.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, Rotherham coroner Nicola Mundy criticised South Yorkshire Police. “The question of the helicopter was not properly pursued when it should have been,” she said. “It was available to be deployed had the proper questions been posed.

“On balance I can say it is a possibility it would have altered the outcome.”

Last night the force issued an apology to Mr Cavill’s family.