TIM FROHWEIN INQUEST: Son blasts police search for Derbyshire Chief Inspector

Chesterfield coroners' court heard Tim Frohwein's body was found during a community search organised by his eldest son, Sam.

The 48-year-old was discovered in a location which did not form part of the police search.

During the inquest into his father's death today, Mr Frohwein said: "The police search strategy, to me, seemed rigid and procedural to the point of being pretty impotent.

"We were told it wouldn't help if we organised our own search - it would add to confusion.

"I'm still unclear as to whether any police dogs went out.

"I was told there was trouble getting the special dogs they needed from a different force."

He added: "It seemed we weren't getting up-to-date, useful information (about the police search).

"It was delayed and vague."

Earlier, Mr Frohwein's wife Susan Frohwein raised concerns about the police search for her husband.

She said: "I didn't feel that huge progress was being made."

Mrs Frohwein added: "Sam urged them to look outside their radiuses. I remember saying, 'please listen to my son on this'."

Mr Frohwein's body was discovered on the Grouse Moor area of the Goyt Valley on Saturday, November 23, 2013.

The married father-of-three, who was Chesterfield’s Chief Inspector, had been reported missing from his Buxton home six days previously.

Earlier today, Mrs Frohwein said the couple went to church on the morning of Sunday, November 17, and Mr Frohwein was 'very subdued'.

He later went missing from their home while Mrs Frohwein was walking their dogs.

Mrs Frohwein said her husband - who had undergone several operations on his knee - had spent 'a lot of' the weekend 'expressing dread' about a meeting at Derbyshire Constabulary's headquarters on the Monday.

She told the court: "He was very unhappy at work.

"He'd been moved from Buxton to be Chief Inspector in Chesterfield.

"Even driving to Chesterfield was really painful on his leg.

"He wanted to stay in Buxton, he requested to stay in Buxton - partly because of his leg and the pain he was in."

Paying tribute to her husband, Mrs Frohwein said: "He had a very strong character and a very strong Christian faith.

"He was devoted to his three sons."

Yesterday, pathologist Dr Andrew Hitchcock said Mr Frohwein died of hypothermia.

He told the court it was not possible to say exactly when Mr Frohwein died.

Toxicologist Dr Paul Smith said Mr Frohwein was found next to a half-empty bottle of whisky but tests showed there was no alcohol found in his blood or urine.

Derbyshire's senior coroner Dr Robert Hunter said he would be 'precluded from considering or returning a conclusion of suicide' in light of the cause of Mr Frohwein's death and that it would be 'irrelevant to this inquest' to discuss his state of mind.

Mick Creedon, Derbyshire Constabulary’s Chief Constable, paid tribute to Mr Frohwein following his death.

He said: “Tim was a thoughtful man who was committed to his family. He had worked for Derbyshire Constabulary since 1993 having previously worked in the Kent and Cheshire police services. During a career break he also worked as a chief executive of an overseas charity.

“Tim worked across the High Peak and Derbyshire Dales area as well as at police headquarters in Ripley, in roads policing and most recently in Chesterfield. He was experienced in land search and he was a highly experienced hostage negotiator.

“We have lost a valued member of the police service and his friends and colleagues will mourn his passing. My sincere condolences go to Tim’s family, particularly his wife and sons.”

The inquest continues.