THE heartbroken mother of a man found dead in his home believes police failed in their duties to protect him.

Iain Colligan was found dead on October 10, more than 24 hours after he was reported missing.

The 37-year-old suffered from severe mental health problems and was subject to twice daily monitoring and weekly treatment by a Community Psychiatric Nurse.

But when carers called police to report Iain missing and express concerns for his welfare, a police sergeant decided to dismiss the report and not send any officers to carry out inquiries.

Patricia Colligan said her son’s disappearance was not taken seriously because of his history of mental health problems.

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She said: “The police have failed in their duties.

“I know he called them out because his health was so bad, they would go out and have chats with him.

“He was no trouble to the police, he didn’t harm anybody, he was a bit of a loner.

“They told me that the mistake was that the police didn’t go out to check on him. That tells me that the sergeant wasn’t really bothered.

“They might not have been able to save Iain but I might have been told a wee bit sooner that he was dead. 

“He had been missing before but they still should have acted on it because they usually did.”

After suffering a breakdown at the age of 21, Iain was diagnosed with schizophrenia and spent a number of years in psychiatric hospitals.

Patricia explains: “He had been hospital for a few years. He was in Stobhill, Parkhead and Levendale because he wasn’t well. 

“He got out and they put him into accommodation that wasn’t fit for him. 

“Iain had suffered enough with mental health – he shouldn’t have been put into flats where he was isolated.”

Iain was placed at a property on Lyndale Place in Summerston after being discharged from hospital but he struggled on his own and had even asked to be taken back to hospital.

During the course of three years, he was reported missing a total of 22 times but was always found by police or returned of his own volition.

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Care staff reported Iain missing around 5.15pm on October 9, as he had not been seen for more than 24 hours.

A sergeant who dealt with the report found that Iain had been at London Road police station around 7pm the day before to speak to an officer about concerns he had.

A member of concierge staff where Iain lived reported seeing him in the vicinity of the flats on the morning he was went missing, however, an officer failed to take the details of the worker and could not trace him when he returned a few days later.

The sergeant also discussed the matter with an inspector but the inspector did not check with the sergeant about whether police officers had gone to the flat, in an effort to trace the Iain.

The sergeant concluded that the circumstances surrounding the disappearance failed to meet Police Scotland’s criteria for a missing person investigation.

Area control room staff were instructed not to send anyone out, re-code the incident and close it.

Iain was reported missing again at 2.10pm the next day, when staff again raised heightened concerns for his well being.

The same sergeant told the care staff he would instruct officers to go Iain’s house when they were available.

Officers finally gained entry to the property at 6.05pm where they found his body. 

He had died from drug intoxication but it was not possible to know exactly when.

Patricia added: “They weren’t taking him seriously because they thought he would come back. 

“I feel terrible because Iain was the only son I had. Especially to die in a flat that he wasn’t fit to live in. 

“When I went up I couldn’t believe it. I don’t think they were interested.

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“Iain never spoke about self-harm or taking his own life. I think he just had a wee bit of money and he’s taken the street Valium. 

“Once he got out the hospital he couldn’t look after himself.

“Did Iain take them intentionally because he couldn’t live that life anymore? I don’t know. We’ll never know.” 

The incident was referred to the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) which found that the appropriate steps had not been taken following the initial missing persons report being made.

It found that the sergeant should have instructed officers to go to Iain’s flat at the time of the first missing person report, to make enquiries and attempt to trace him.

It was recommended that all officers and the particular sergeant receive appropriate training in assessing missing persons reports, the inspector is reminded of the importance of checking that all appropriate steps have been taken before agreeing to a course of action and the constable is reminded of the necessity of noting personal detail of people they have spoken to.

When the Pirc report was released last month, Police Scotland Superintendent Hilary Sloan said: “We  accept the commissioner’s recommendations and corrective advice will be given to the officers concerned.”