Dereham NHS medic, 38, died the day after police interview

Elliott Bird, of Dereham, died on November 10 last year, with his body found in a woodland site in Hockering.

His death came less than 24 hours after he was arrested by police and questioned over allegations of fraud relating to his job at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge.

Norfolk Coroner's Court heard police had turned up on his doorstep at 6am on November 9, taking him into custody in front of his young daughter and family.

He was taken in for questioning and later released on bail. After returning home his family said he was traumatised by the ordeal.

In a statement read to the court, his wife Rachel Bird said: "He left custody a different person - I can not imagine what he went through and horrendously he was pushed to the point he felt this was his only option."

WHAT WERE THE ACCUSATIONS? 

Details of the accusations against Mr Bird, 38, were given to the court by DCI Denise Harper of Cambridgeshire Constabulary.

In a statement, she told the court he had spent five years working as an advanced clinical practitioner at Addenbrooke's, between 2018 and 2023.

Previously, he had worked as a paramedic for the East of England Ambulance Service Trust, for which he was fully qualified.

During his time at Addenbrooke's, he is known to have treated around 12,000 patients, including performing "intimate examinations", earning £15,000 more per year than a paramedic's salary.

She said the constabulary had got involved after David Wherrett, director of workforce at Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust alerted police to irregularities with his qualifications.

Mr Wherrett told the court he had questioned Mr Bird about these on February 14, after which he resigned from his post.

It was alleged Mr Bird had falsified some of his qualifications when applying for the role in 2018 - including claiming to have a master's degree from the University of Hertfordshire he did not have.

He was never convicted of any of the accused offences and the hospital trust did not receive a single complaint about his treatment.

The court heard that while police questioned Mr Bird, he was anxious, but did not give officers any reason to suspect he may take his life.

Likewise, Sally Lewis, his solicitor, said she had also not been given this impression.

She said: "If at any stage I have concerns then I would immediately raise them with the custody sergeant - with Mr Bird I did not need to make any representations to this effect."

WIFE'S TRIBUTE 

Mrs Bird told the court the pair had met while working together as paramedics and were in a relationship for 14 years.

They had a five-year-old daughter together while he treated his three step-children as his own.

She said: "During our time working together I saw what an amazing and caring clinician he was.

"He was an incredibly loving and giving person and was selfless.

"We will miss and love him forever."

SUICIDE CONCLUSION 

Jacqueline Lake, senior coroner for Norfolk, concluded that Mr Bird's death was suicide.

She said had no concerns about the way Mr Bird was treated while he was in custody - and that the court heard the NHS trust had offered him support at appropriate times during the investigation.

She added: "I have heard he had lost his job, likely his career and was unlikely to get this back."

His medical cause of death was confirmed as asphyxiation.

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