Tragic end to a tense wait (From The Argus)

Tragic end to a tense wait

6:20pm Saturday 1st November 2008 in News By Ben Parsons

A detective found dead at his home was due to answer bail on a shoplifting allegation the next day, it has emerged.

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Torbet reportedly hanged himself early on Thursday morning, a month after his arrest with a colleague at Marks and Spencer in Shoreham.

His body was found by his brother Fraser, a retired detective constable with Brighton and Hove CID, at his home in Sutton Avenue North, Peacehaven.

DCI Torbet, 54, served with Sussex Police for 28 years and was commended five times.

He was working in the force’s professional standards department, which investigates allegations against officers, when he was arrested with Worthing district commander Sharon Rowe on suspicion of stealing wine at the Holmbush Centre in Shoreham at the end of September.

Both officers were suspended. DCI Torbet, believed to be a divorcee, was bailed twice without being charged and was due to answer bail again yesterday.

Chief Inspector Rowe, 44, from Hove, remains on bail. While Sussex Police will confirm no more than that there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding DCI Torbet’s death, he is believed to have hanged himself.

The force has declined to comment on criticisms that the investigation into the shoplifting allegation was taking too long and put him under unnecessary strain.

Mike Conn, headteacher of Bexhill High School, where DCI Torbet was a governor for more than ten years, pledged to write to Chief Constable Martin Richards to voice his concerns.

Friends and colleagues paid tribute to DCI Torbet after learning of his death.

Brian Stockham, chairman of Sussex Police Federation, which acts as the police’s trade union, said: “I served with Jim in the 1990s when as part of a team we had good success together against organised crime.

“At that time I came to realise Jim was an outstanding officer of great honour and integrity, one of the best officers I’ve served with.”

In March 2003, DCI Torbet’s daughter Rae was stabbed to death at her Bexhill flat by her former boyfriend, forklift truck driver Dellwyn James.

Mr Conn described him as “broken” by the tragedy.

Mr Stockham said: “It will be the hope of many of our colleagues that he is now at peace and reunited with his beloved daughter.”

DCI Torbet’s neighbours in Sutton Avenue North, Peacehaven, said they were woken by an ambulance early on Thursday morning.

They said he had been seen washing his Mercedes sports car, described as his pride and joy, a few days ago.

A spokesman for South East Coast Ambulance Service said police had called paramedics to DCI Torbet’s home at about 1.30am on Thursday but he was dead when they arrived.

The case has been handed to the East Sussex coroner’s office to prepare for an inquest.