Richard Scatchard, 70, fled his home in Minehead, Somerset, eleven days ago – disappearing the day after Kelly Faiers was found dead at his home.
Ambulance crews had been called to his home on Blenheim Road, Minehead on Sunday 15 October to find the body of Kelly Faiers, 61.
But when cops returned the next day about tragic Kelly’s death, Scatchard had disappeared.
Avon and Somerset Police have now warned the public he poses a danger to the public – “specifically women he forms relationships with” – as they hunt him as part of their murder inquiry.
Furious friends revealed police kept the fact he was a suspect secret for four days and told them he was “missing” – even prompting one to volunteer to try and find him.
One – who first met him three-and-a-half years ago unaware he had just been released from prison and knew him under a false name of Richard Dunlop – said: “We are annoyed because the police didn’t tell us soon enough why they were looking for him. Why didn’t the police tell us before?
“For four days police told people who knew him that he was just missing, if at that point he would have turned up at our doorstep we would have helped him out.
“I went out looking for him because I thought he must’ve fallen off his bike or something. I did that because I didn’t know any of this about who he was, you can imagine how I feel now.
“The police should have given more information out straight away.
“He was out on licence, the local police must’ve known who he was. Why has it all been kept quiet? Is it because they know somebody messed up?”
Avon and Somerset Police have confirmed Professional Standards Department has been made aware of the initial police response and are currently carrying out an assessment.
The details over exactly what is being investigated is not clear.
Meanwhile, the probe into Kelly’s death is continuing, with a forensic post-mortem examination inconclusive.
Her death is currently being treated as suspicious while police await the results of further tests.
NATIONWIDE HUNT
And police are now searching for Scatchard, who was last seen on October 16 – warning he could be “anywhere in the country”.
At the Duke of Wellington pub in Minehead where Scatchard regularly drank locals described him as a serial cheat who “wasn’t very kind to Kelly”.
One said: “He was on these dating sites to meet up with women. Because he was 70 he’s not going to find a woman of 20 so they were always older women and usually vulnerable women.
“He had women all over the place.
“He seemed to go all across the West Country, he would introduce a few to us but in the end you get fed up with it. He had a girlfriend in London and one down in Cornwall, one at Barnstable and one at Tiverton he would go after anything with a pulse.
“He told Kelly last time we saw her that she could only stay until tomorrow and we said to her ‘he’s probably got somebody else staying after that’.
“We knew he was a bit of a one for the ladies and he would come in and tell us what he had been up to. I just told him I’m not interested.
“We met Kelly a few times and she was a very nice woman. He wasn’t very kind to her. She was a very lovely lady.
“I am upset for Kelly because she sat and drank with us a few times and she was a very nice lady. I know she has family she was close to and lived in Weston-super-Mare .
“Before we knew what happened I saw police towing Kelly’s car away and I remember thinking to myself, ‘god, I hope it’s not Kelly’.”
Detective Chief Inspector Jess Aston said: “As our inquiry has progressed, we have become less worried about his welfare and far more concerned about the danger he presents to other people.
“His previous behaviour, along with information we have gathered since his disappearance, makes us anxious that he may have formed a new relationship with one or more women and that he presents a serious risk to their safety.
“Scatchard is a prolific user of dating apps and has previously been convicted of sexual offences in which he administered drugs to his victims to enable his crimes.”
As part of their search, police have used land and sea searches.
It’s believed Scatchard could be using a distinctive electric bicycle – a grey Gepida Alboin Curve which has a pink front tyre rim, flowers on the rim of the rear tyre and green and yellow electrical tape around the handlebars.
Scatchard is white, about 5ft 11ins tall, of average build with short grey hair. He speaks with a Scottish accent and has previously claimed to be called Richard Dunlop.
A police spokesperson today told The Sun Online: “The circumstances around Kelly’s death remain unclear with the forensic post-mortem being inconclusive.
“Further forensic tests are ongoing but in the meantime we are carrying out enquiries on the basis of the death being suspicious. The initial call to us reported it was a sudden death.”
And at the time police revealed Kelly’s death and Scatchard’s death, DCI Aston added: “This is a complex investigation and our understanding of what may have happened to Kelly continues to evolve.
“Our Professional Standards Department has been made aware of the incident and the initial police response to it and are currently carrying out an assessment.
“Meanwhile, our absolute priority is to find Scatchard and see if he can assist with our enquiries. Richard, if you see this, please do the right thing and hand yourself in.
“Our search has focused on the Minehead area however Scatchard could be anywhere in the country – we know he has recent links to the Cornwall, Gwent and South Wales while previous links include the Cheshire and Leicestershire areas.
“If you can help, please get in touch.”
If you see Scatchard, do not approach, instead phone 999 and provide the call handler with the reference 5223251706.
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