Cops blasted for taking more than three months to find dead body after using Google Earth to carry out search

A CORONER has blasted police who took three-and-a-half months to find the body of a missing man after it emerged officers used GOOGLE EARTH to try and find him.

Tragic Ricky Hill, 30, took an overdose of painkillers and was admitted to hospital after spiralling into depression following the break-up of his marriage.

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He was reported missing from the hospital the next day on September 22, 2014 and a huge search was conducted of the local area.
But his body was only found hanged from a tree in woodland just yards away from Royal Derby Hospital almost four months later on January 10 last year.
Sergeant Michael Smith-Beard admitted using a Google Earth map to conduct the search and did not contact the hospital security team to say what they were doing.
Dr Robert Hunter, senior coroner for Derbyshire, expressed his dismay and said: "I have been in my house for three years and Google maps show it is a field."
The coroner said if officers had used the hospital map they would have been provided with more detail and a better chance of finding Mr Hill.

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Sgt Smith-Beard, of Derbyshire Police, also admitted he was "very disappointed" his team did not search woodland where Mr Hill's body was found.
He said: "In our world we're looking for a dead body.
"I had four officers with me and I sent two in a clock-wise direction and two in an anti-clockwise direction."
When asked by Dr Hunter if he knew Mr Hill was suicidal, Sgt Smith-Beard said: "I did not need to know all of the circumstances.
"In our world we're searching for a body.
"In the beauty of hindsight, I would have done it now. We did not go in there. We should have.
" He should have been found the best part of three months before."
He told the court "procedures were now in place" to "prevent this kind of disappointment" in future.
Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Meadows said there were eight recommendations they were now acting on as a result of a review into handling missing people cases.

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But as DCI Meadows began reading some of the details of the recommendations, he was stopped by an angry Dr Hunter, who exclaimed: "What the hell does this mean?
"We will be here until 6pm if we go through this."
He told the senior officer he wanted the recommendations presented in a way in which the public would understand.
Earlier this week, the inquest heard Mr Hill went missing from the hospital after being allowed to go outside for a cigarette.
Dr Hunter said Mr Hill might not have been let out if he had undergone an earlier risk assessment and had a care plan.

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The hearing was told Mr Hill was depressed after he split from his wife of eight years and had taken an overdose.
Wife Dawn told the court she had begged hospital staff not to discharge him following his overdose.
Family members, including his father Steven, said they had also raised concerns for this well-being with hospital staff.
The hearing, at Derbyshire Coroner's Court, continues.

If you are struggling with mental health issues call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit