Nicola Forster, a 45-year-old safety training officer at Hendon Police College in north London, was found dead at her home in Bedfordshire on September 28, 2022. Forster had been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression after working on the frontline during the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.
A serving officer testified at the inquest, stating that Forster’s manager, Inspector Hayley Webb, had been a bully who made impossible demands. Forster had reportedly said to colleagues that Inspector Webb was "out to get her" and ignored requests for occupational health referrals related to her mental health struggles.
Sergeant Paul Hoppe, Forster's counterpart between September 2020 and April 2021, also spoke at the inquest, highlighting the extreme pressure of their roles due to a shortage of officer safety instructors. He mentioned that Inspector Webb lacked empathy and made unachievable decisions, escalating stress on the staff.
Forster had been signed off from work about three months before her death and was taking medication prescribed by her GP. On the night before she was found dead, Forster had told her partner, Dr. Amy Popple, that she was struggling to sleep. She was discovered dead in her home, which was immaculately clean and tidy with no suicide note left.
The inquest into Nicola Forster’s death continues.