A police officer who was disciplined for the search for Dorset teenager Gaia Pope has told his jury that he made a number of mistakes the night he disappeared.
Sean Mallon was acting as a sergeant when it was learned that the 19-year-old had been reported missing on November 7, 2017, according to the Dorset Forensic Court.
He told the jury that there were two police officers available that he should have deployed to look for Pope and also admitted that he did not hand over the case to other officers at the end of his turn. The teenager’s body was found 11 days later in the undergrowth on top of a cliff. An autopsy found that he had died of hypothermia.
Mallon was the subject of disciplinary proceedings – kept behind closed doors – for Pope’s disappearance and received a final warning, but has since withdrawn from Dorset police. He is the only officer the jury has heard who has faced a misdemeanor hearing.
Asked by Chief Forensic Officer Rachael Griffin, Mallon said he “did nothing about Gaia’s case” and admitted that there were several “missed opportunities” to find her that night and the next day because of the his inaction.
Mallon stated that he had not known at the time that Pope was suffering from epilepsy, had a post-traumatic stress disorder and had previously filed a rape complaint.
But Pope’s family lawyer Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC told him, “I knew Gaia had to see her GP and she had a mental health episode that day. You knew she wasn’t very well, did you?
Mallon said, “Possibly, yes.”
“It simply came to our notice then. It was a winter evening. Did you know that this was a vulnerable teenager who was missing? added Gallagher.
“Then I found out,” Mallon replied.
Mallon said he was aware that the force had a missing persons policy, but did not recall ever reading it.
The investigation in Bournemouth has this week seen a number of missed opportunities in the search for Pope by police.
One of those involved, Inspector Andrew Alkins, said it had been a mistake to initially describe Pope as a medium risk and as soon as he learned of his disappearance in the early hours of November 8, he raised his status.
“My view was that it was an incorrect rating. My view was that it should have been put at risk,” he said in the investigation, and agreed that the lower rating was a “missed opportunity” because officers superiors review Pope’s case first.
The investigation continues.