THE suicide of Michael Curtis following the raid of his house by police investigating child pornography is a tragedy.

Thames Valley Police had to investigate the intelligence. And officers would not have known the extreme reaction Mr Curtis had to the raid on his house.

Police have to follow well-established procedures, but one part of Det Sgt Howard Berry’s evidence strikes an uneasy note: “Quite often (in these investigations) it transpires there is no offence.”

Therefore officers must proceed with extreme caution.