A Metropolitan Police officer suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after working on the frontline of the Grenfell Tower fire tragically took her own life after feeling targeted by her boss, an inquest has revealed. Nicola Forster, 45, was found dead at her home in September 2022, just a month after an upsetting meeting with her manager, Inspector Hayley Webb, to discuss her return to work after a period of leave.
Forster’s mental health had deteriorated following a negative performance review, which Inspector Webb brought up during the meeting. Bedfordshire Coroner’s Court heard that this was inappropriate and exacerbated Forster’s distress. Police Federation representative Sergeant Timothy Clarke described the meeting as “the most upsetting” he had experienced in his 20 years in the role, expressing regret for not halting the meeting when he saw Forster’s distress.
Inspector Webb’s handling of the situation was brought into focus, with Forster’s mental health struggles being acknowledged but not adequately supported. Forster, a safety training officer at Hendon Police College in North London, had informed Webb of her struggles but was instead criticized for her work performance.
Forster’s partner, Amy Popple, stated that Forster had become very emotional about how her team perceived her, especially when she was told they had no faith in her. Forster had confided in a colleague, Liz Hockley, revealing that she had asked Webb for an occupational health referral in February 2022, but it was never completed. In an emotional email to Hockley, Forster expressed feeling like a target and lamented the lack of organizational support when she needed it most. She felt discriminated against and unsupported, despite asking for help.
The inquest also heard that Forster felt her staff were coerced into speaking negatively about her, which she perceived as part of the targeting by Webb. Coroner Emma Whitting noted a clear link between Forster’s workplace difficulties and the decline in her mental health leading up to her death.
Forster had been profoundly affected by her experiences working at the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, leading to her PTSD. On the night before her death, Forster spoke with Popple, mentioning she had taken a sleeping pill due to her struggle to sleep, but it had not been effective. Popple found Forster’s body on September 28, 2022, after growing concerned when she could not reach her. Both the front and back doors were locked, with keys inside the doors.
The inquest continues, seeking to understand the full circumstances surrounding Forster’s death and the impact of her workplace environment on her mental health.