'Unclear' if ex-detective intended to kill himself

1 day ago

Sammy Jenkins

BBC News, West of England

An inquest jury said the explosion and fire was a result of an intentional or reckless act

Avon and Somerset Police The remains of the destroyed home in the immediate aftermath of the fire. It is a large pink coloured home with two tall chimneys on either side. The exterior is covered in water and smoke damage, and the home is surrounded by greenery and trees. The roof of the building is completely gone and the inside is charred and smoking. — An inquest jury said the explosion and fire was a result of an intentional or reckless act

It cannot be determined whether a former detective superintendent intended to die in a fire that engulfed his home, an inquest has concluded.

Malcolm Baker, 60, died in the fire at his detached thatched cottage in Brompton Regis, near Dulverton, Somerset, on the evening of 14 September 2022.

Held at Somerset Coroner's Court, the hearing was told how Mr Baker, who had been stockpiling fuel around the house, locked himself in his bedroom after a confrontation with his wife.

An inquest jury said while it could not be sure of Mr Baker's intent, the explosion and fire was a result of an "intentional or reckless act".

The jury was told police had arrived to arrest Mr Baker in connection with a domestic dispute, but he refused to open his bedroom door, and officers left the house when they started to smell fuel.

The fire and an explosion later consumed the house and Mr Baker died as a result.

"It cannot be determined whether he intended to die when he did," the jury added.

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Mr Baker retired from the Met Police in 2011 and moved to Somerset with his family, where he ran a security consultancy with his wife, Francesca Onody.

The couple, who had been married for nearly 20 years, had two children together and were in the process of divorcing at the time of his death.

The hearing was told how police had been called several times in the months leading up to the fire after allegations of domestic abuse and financial fraud against Mr Baker by Ms Onody.

Ms Onody said he became "very angry" when he found out she wanted a divorce, and she had grown concerned about his mental health and heavy drinking.

Limited remains of Mr Baker's body were recovered from the detached property

Google An image taken from Google street view showing an empty and overgrown plot in the countryside. There is a large pile of bricks and building materials lying where the home once stood, with weeds growing between the debris. The plot is surrounded by hills, trees and greenery on a sunny day. — Limited remains of Mr Baker's body were recovered from the detached property

Fire investigators found the fire had started on the ground floor of the property and was likely to have been caused by petrol fumes being ignited by electrical items.

John Donovan, from the Devon and Somerset Fire Service, ruled out Mr Baker starting the fire himself as he was locked in his upstairs bedroom.

He also said it could not have been started by anyone else as they would have been injured by the immediate ignition of the petrol.

"On the balance of probabilities, it would be my opinion that it was an electrical item within the ground floor, but due to the level of fire destruction inside I can't categorically say which electrical item," he added.

Mr Baker's cause of death was given as "unascertained".

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