The widow of a man found dead in sheltered housing in Inverness fears she won’t live to find out why police did not visit after he called them nearly 19 hours earlier.
Albert Insch’s body was found by a carer at his MacEwen Court home on October 27 last year, at about 8.45am.
But the 72-year-old had called 999 from his mobile phone at 2.12pm the previous day.
The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) was tasked with probing the force’s response to the emergency call – and their finished report has now been sent to the Crown Office.
Yesterday Mr Insch’s wife of 42 years, June Insch, welcomed the Pirc report but said she “feared” that her poor health may prevent her living long enough to find out what happened.
The 70-year-old said: “I just feel I am not going to be here before we get any answers.
“I know they will turn round and say to us there was nothing they could do, but at least there would have been someone beside him at the time and he would have been more comfortable in a hospital bed. I just fear it will all get swept under the carpet.
“I would not like anyone else to have to go through this.
“I think it’s hit me harder now as time has gone on. He phoned me every day, and I still can not take it in that he is not here. It’s just horrible when you are sitting by yourself at night and thinking about it.”
Mrs Insch said she was given the impression by a local Procurator Fiscal that her late husband’s case could take as long as five years to conclude. However, it is understood this would be highly unlikely even in a particularly complex case.
The heartbroken family first met representatives from Pirc on Wednesday, November 2, after registering Mr Insch’s death.
Daughter Karen Insch, who flew over from Canada after receiving the tragic news, said at that point they realised police had attended as the men from Pirc asked if her father had ever stayed at a different address in MacEwan Court.
It was confirmed that police had visited the sheltered housing but there had been a “mix up” and they had gone to the wrong address.
Ms Insch said the family were informed by residents at MacEwan Court that police officers did attend and did go to another door.
However, it was suggested that they were pointed in the direction of Mr Insch’s home after another resident overhead the officers speaking about a “Mr Albert”.
Mrs Insch added: “I would not like anyone to lose their jobs, because we all make mistakes. We just want answers.”
A Crown Office spokesman said: “We have received a report from Pirc concerning their investigation into the death of a 72-year-old man found dead at a sheltered housing complex in Inverness on Thursday 27 October 2016.
“The report remains under consideration. The family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.”
A police spokesman said: “Police Scotland is aware of the PIRC investigation and is fully engaging with the process and will await the findings.”
Mr Insch was a retired electrical engineer who was proprietor of his own business Bert Electrical.
Mrs Insch described him as a “hard worker” and said that he also loved music and played the organ, accordion and guitar – and also loved to sing.
