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Retired detective killed himself in car fire amid 11-year row with neighbours

Fun VLOG August 11, 2021
Retired Met detective burned himself to death after 11-year row over leaky roof, inquest hears
Fire fighters who arrived in the village of Cavendish described a car ‘fully involved in fire’ (Pictures: East Anglia News Service)

A retired Metropolitan Police detective inspector took his own life in a car fire amid a long-running dispute with neighbours over their guttering, an inquest was told.

Edwin Williams, 74, was described by his estranged wife Jean Williams as a ‘highly intelligent man who achieved a great deal’ during a 30-year career with the force and then as a teacher.

But she told Suffolk Coroner’s Court she felt he ‘never came to terms’ with the loss of rank and responsibilities following his retirement in 1995 and suffered ‘severe nightmares’ while trying to adjust to civilian life.

An inquest into Mr Williams’ death heard he became embroiled in a dispute with neighbours over the guttering and roofing as well as potential water damage to his Grade-II listed property in the village of Cavendish shortly after moving in back in 2004.

The court was told the disagreement continued after Robert Davis and his wife and son moved in next door in 2015, even though repairs were made to the guttering.

Mr Davis said Mr Williams first launched court proceedings against him in November 2018, and a nine-hour mediation hearing was held which led to ‘an order being made to settle all the issues raised’.

But Mr Williams insisted it ‘would not be the end of the issues raised’, he added, and recommenced legal proceedings with a new hearing due to be held earlier this year.

East Anglia News Service, tel 07767 413379 Former Metropolitan Police chief superintendent Edwin Williams who set fire to himself in his car beside a neighbour???s home in Cavendish, Suffolk, following a long running dispute with them. An inquest has recorded a conclusion of suicide EAST ANGLIA NEWS SERVICE, tel. 07767 413379 With pics A former detective superintendent with the Metropolitan Police set fire to himself in his car outside his neighbour???s home after a long running legal battle over their guttering, an inquest heard today (tues). Edwin Williams, 74, was described by his estranged wife Jean Williams as being ???a highly intelligent man who achieved a great deal??? in his 30 years as a police officer and his later career as a teacher. But Suffolk Coroner???s Court heard he had repeatedly fallen out with people including his neighbours, a psychologist and his GP. Mrs Williams said in a statement that said that her husband had a distinguished police career which once involved investigating all crimes reported at Royal palaces. But she said he ???never came to terms??? with the loss of his rank and responsibilities after he retired from the police in 1995, and suffered ???severe nightmares??? while finding it hard to adapt to civilian life. She added: ???He had dealt with many serious and traumatic incidents and referred to possibly having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.??? The couple moved to their Grade Two listed 19th century home in Cavendish in 2004, and Mr Williams became embroiled in a dispute with neighbours over a shared roof between their houses and potential water damage to his property. Mrs Williams who qualified as a solicitor in 1982 said she urged him to adopt a more conciliatory approach but he ???insisted on litigation???. The inquest how the disagreement continued after his new neighbours Robert Davis and his wife and son moved in next door in 2015, even though repairs were made to guttering. Mr Davis said Mr Williams first launched court proceedings against him in November 2018, and a nine hour mediation hearing was held which led to ???an order being made to settle all the issues raised???. Mr Williams stated after the hearing that it ???would not be the end of the issues raised???, he added The former officer recommenced legal proceedings, and a new hearing was due to be held earlier this year. The inquest was told how Mr Williams had decided to represent himself and asked for an eight week delay to the hearing so he could build up his defence case, using thousands of documents. He became upset when solicitors acting for Mr Davis consented only to a four week postponement, and he told friends that he did not have enough time to prepare his case. The inquest heard how he parked his Hyundai car in front of the home of Mr Davis beside the Cavendish village green early on the morning of March 6 this year before starting the blaze. Firefighters discovered his body in the driver???s seat after extinguishing the blaze, and he was identified by dental records. Mr Davis said he was woken up by a loud bang at around 7.30am on March 6, and his wife looked out to see the car on fire. The couple heard two more bangs and their two cars which were outside their home were badly damaged. Mr Williams was described by his cousin Layton Williams as an ???outstanding??? police officer. He added: ???It???s clear that Ed set very high standards for himself bordering on perfectionism.??? Mr Williams said that the dispute with neighbours had put his cousin ???under enormous psychological pressure???. He said that the former officer had accused his neighbours of trying to drive him to his death by ???waiting for him to die or kill himself???. The hearing was told that Mr Williams felt under such stress that he left his house to stay in a hotel in Cambridge, but he returned three days before he took his own life. His friend Paul Amoo who was staying with him at the time of his death said Mr Williams was ???totally devastated??? after being told that he could not have the eight week postponement before the start of the case. Mr Amoo said: ???He kept repeating that there was no way he would be ready before the deadline.???. The inquest heard how Mr Amoo was asleep when Mr Williams left his house and only learned of his death when police knocked on the door. A post mortem found that Mr Williams died of immolation as a consequence of a car fire. Suffolk senior coroner Nigel Parsley recorded a conclusion of suicide. He said: ???Ed had been in a legal dispute with his neighbours for a number of years which he had instigated. This started with his original neighbours and carried on with the new ones.??? Mr Parsley said that the legal dispute had caused him stress, and added: ???It was also known that he had previously stated that he would take his own life.??? ends
Edwin Williams spent 30 years working in the police (Picture: East Anglia News Service)

The inquest was told how Mr Williams had decided to represent himself and asked for an eight-week delay so he could build up his defence case, using thousands of documents.

However, he became upset when solicitors acting for Mr Davis consented only to a four-week postponement.

Mr Williams’ cousin, Layton Williams, said the dispute had put the former officer ‘under enormous psychological pressure’. His friend, Paul Amoo, added that ‘he kept repeating that there was no way he would be ready before the deadline’.

The court was told Mr Williams parked his Hyundai outside Mr Davis’ home before starting it alight early in the morning on March 6 this year.

Fire fighters who arrived at the scene described a car ‘fully involved in fire’, with the blaze starting to spread to two nearby cars.

East Anglia News Service, tel 07767 413379 The scene where retired police chief Edwin Williams set fire to himself in his car beside a neighbour?s home in Cavendish, Suffolk, following a long running dispute with them. An inquest has recorded a conclusion of suicide. The pictures shows damage to the neighbours? cars EAST ANGLIA NEWS SERVICE, tel. 07767 413379 With pics A former detective superintendent with the Metropolitan Police set fire to himself in his car outside his neighbour?s home after a long running legal battle over their guttering, an inquest heard today (tues). Edwin Williams, 74, was described by his estranged wife Jean Williams as being ?a highly intelligent man who achieved a great deal? in his 30 years as a police officer and his later career as a teacher. But Suffolk Coroner?s Court heard he had repeatedly fallen out with people including his neighbours, a psychologist and his GP. Mrs Williams said in a statement that said that her husband had a distinguished police career which once involved investigating all crimes reported at Royal palaces. But she said he ?never came to terms? with the loss of his rank and responsibilities after he retired from the police in 1995, and suffered ?severe nightmares? while finding it hard to adapt to civilian life. She added: ?He had dealt with many serious and traumatic incidents and referred to possibly having Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.? The couple moved to their Grade Two listed 19th century home in Cavendish in 2004, and Mr Williams became embroiled in a dispute with neighbours over a shared roof between their houses and potential water damage to his property. Mrs Williams who qualified as a solicitor in 1982 said she urged him to adopt a more conciliatory approach but he ?insisted on litigation?. The inquest how the disagreement continued after his new neighbours Robert Davis and his wife and son moved in next door in 2015, even though repairs were made to guttering. Mr Davis said Mr Williams first launched court proceedings against him in November 2018, and a nine hour mediation hearing was held which led to ?an order being made to settle all the issues raised?. Mr Williams stated after the hearing that it ?would not be the end of the issues raised?, he added The former officer recommenced legal proceedings, and a new hearing was due to be held earlier this year. The inquest was told how Mr Williams had decided to represent himself and asked for an eight week delay to the hearing so he could build up his defence case, using thousands of documents. He became upset when solicitors acting for Mr Davis consented only to a four week postponement, and he told friends that he did not have enough time to prepare his case. The inquest heard how he parked his Hyundai car in front of the home of Mr Davis beside the Cavendish village green early on the morning of March 6 this year before starting the blaze. Firefighters discovered his body in the driver?s seat after extinguishing the blaze, and he was identified by dental records. Mr Davis said he was woken up by a loud bang at around 7.30am on March 6, and his wife looked out to see the car on fire. The couple heard two more bangs and their two cars which were outside their home were badly damaged. Mr Williams was described by his cousin Layton Williams as an ?outstanding? police officer. He added: ?It?s clear that Ed set very high standards for himself bordering on perfectionism.? Mr Williams said that the dispute with neighbours had put his cousin ?under enormous psychological pressure?. He said that the former officer had accused his neighbours of trying to drive him to his death by ?waiting for him to die or kill himself?. The hearing was told that Mr Williams felt under such stress that he left his house to stay in a hotel in Cambridge, but he returned three days before he took his own life. His friend Paul Amoo who was staying with him at the time of his death said Mr Williams was ?totally devastated? after being told that he could not have the eight week postponement before the start of the case. Mr Amoo said: ?He kept repeating that there was no way he would be ready before the deadline.?. The inquest heard how Mr Amoo was asleep when Mr Williams left his house and only learned of his death when police knocked on the door. A post mortem found that Mr Williams died of immolation as a consequence of a car fire. Suffolk senior coroner Nigel Parsley recorded a conclusion of suicide. He said: ?Ed had been in a legal dispute with his neighbours for a number of years which he had instigated. This started with his original neighbours and carried on with the new ones.? Mr Parsley said that the legal dispute had caused him stress, and added: ?It was also known that he had previously stated that he would take his own life.? ends
The blaze also caused damage to two cars nearby (Picture: East Anglia News Service)

Mark Hill, watch manager of Clare fire station, said in a statement that a man at the scene told him: ‘That’s my neighbour’s car’, and suggested there was someone inside.

The fire was extinguished, and the body was later identified as Mr Williams by dental records.

A post-mortem examination found that he died of immolation as a consequence of a car fire and Suffolk senior coroner Nigel Parsley recorded a conclusion of suicide.

Mr Parsley said that fire investigation officers ‘believe the most likely cause of the fire was it was started deliberately from inside the vehicle’.

The fire service report said there was no indication Mr Williams had been trapped.

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