'A lifetime of pain': Parents' agony as police criticised over teenager found dead in Shropshire golf club pond

Jim and Tracey Lock spoke following the inquest into the death of their 18-year-old son Tyrone, whose body was found in a pond at Hill Valley Golf Club in Whitchurch in November last year.

The jury inquest, which concluded yesterday after four days, revealed he could have been found alive had police classified him as a vulnerable person, rather than a suspect on the run.

Now, his parents, from Leominster, say police have ruined their lives.

Mrs Lock said her son was a "gentleman and loved by everybody".

She said: "There was a good chance he was going to be an Armani model. He had such good looks and everywhere he went everyone complimented him on his looks.

"He was such a pleasure, and I am so proud to have been his mum.

"I'm happy to get justice for Tyrone. They let us down, they let Tyrone down.

"Tyrone was in a pond for two days and we didn't even know.

"If they would have looked for Tyrone they would have saved us an awful lot of heartache then.

"At the end of the day, everyone else can go home. We are the ones that wake up every morning, broke, because we haven't got Tyrone.

"We go to sleep broke because we haven't got Tyrone.

"It's just a lifetime of pain."

Mr Lock, a self employed car and commercial vehicle salesman, of Ludlow Road, Leominster, was found in the water two days after fleeing the Whitchurch hotel.

The inquest heard staff had called the police because of concerns about his behaviour, along with a friend, but he was not found despite a search with dogs.

Mr Lock had checked into the hotel with friends Len Evans and Jodie Stevens on the afternoon of November 20 last year.

Mr Evans, from Condover, near Shrewsbury, also fled the hotel, and was treated by police as a suspected drink driver who was absconding, after being seen getting out of a van.

Police gave chase, but did not catch him, and called the National Police Air Service for a helicopter to trace him – but this was refused.

When that happened, police did not call for a second time to request a helicopter for Mr Lock.

But during the hearing, NPAS said it would have treated a vulnerable person differently.

Inspector Simon Hepworth, operations centre manager, said a crew could have been there for 6.44am on the morning of November 21, if it had opted to extend its flight time and the request had been made.

This would have been just 25 minutes after Mr Lock fled the hotel.

Meanwhile, police said they did not chase the teenager when he ran across the golf course, as a dog unit was set to arrive and they did not want to contaminate the scent that could have led to him being found.

However, even with a search using dogs, police could not find Mr Lock.

He was instead found by the hotel's greenkeeper on November 23.

Following four days of evidence, a jury found that Mr Lock should have instead been classified as a vulnerable person, by police because of his mental and physical state, having only been dressed in boxer shorts on a cold November night.

The 10-man jury also said that a helicopter request should have been made, which could then have located the teenager within enough time to find him alive.

Mr Lock said: "They could have saved Tyrone's life but they let him down.

"And as for me, he was the best son any man could ever ask for. I have four lovely boys and two girls, this is my wife, and now our lives are finished because of what the police have done to us.

"They have never acted appropriately as they should have done to find Tyrone, otherwise we wouldn't be standing her today. Tyrone would be alive. But due to the police, they ruined our lives, Tyrone is dead, and our lives are over. It's finished our lives.

"It's taken the same toll as it has since the November 23 when Tyrone was found in that water."

The inquest heard that the cause of death was hypothermia, and contributed to by a small component of water inhalation, complicated by the effect of illicit drugs.

Toxicology reports showed Mr Lock tested positive for MDNA, also known as ecstasy, a-PVP, a synthetic stimulant drug, and an unidentified cathinone.

No alcohol or cocaine was found.

Following the inquest, Detective Chief Inspector Paul Moxley said: "We acknowledge today's verdict and we will now look to work closely with the National Police Air Service to review future call out procedures.

"Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Tyrone following his tragic death"