Drowned policeman was 'depressed'

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A Dorset police inspector who drowned after apparently falling overboard from a ferry was suffering from chronic depression, an inquest has been told.

Insp Neil Munro's body washed ashore under a jetty attached to a home in Sandbanks, Poole, last Thursday.

A post-mortem examination gave the 43-year-old's cause of death as drowning.

The inquest was opened and adjourned in Bournemouth. Police are still investigating the matter.

Ferry examined

Insp Munro, whose death is being treated as "unexplained," was fully clothed and carrying a rucksack and his warrant card when he was washed ashore.

The 43-year-old boarded the 23.45 Barfleur ferry alone as a foot passenger sailing from Poole to Cherbourg on 12 March.

The inquest heard that no-one saw him fall overboard and the ferry carried on its journey to France.

The vessel was examined by police the following day when it returned to Poole - as part of the investigation into his death.

Chief Constable Mr Baker said police would be investigating why Insp Munro was on the ferry, how he came to be in the water and would also look at his family and work life.

Long serving officer

Insp Munro was off duty on annual holiday leave at the time.

Born in Dunoon, Scotland, he lived in Bournemouth with his wife Mel, 33, and their 21-month-old son Jack.

He had served with Dorset Police for 20 years.

Senior coroner's officer Julian Jeneson at Poole and East Dorset Coroners' Court, said: "The circumstances of the death as known at present are that Insp Munro, known to be suffering from chronic depression, left home at around lunchtime on Wednesday 12 March."

Mrs Munro identified her husband's body at the mortuary at Dorset County Hospital.

Coroner Sheriff Payne opened and adjourned the inquest to a later date.