Probe into Guernsey inpatient's death

Wednesday 04 March 2020

Guernsey's health authorities have pledged to "cooperate fully" with an inquest into the death of a mental health inpatient, whose body washed up on a beach weeks after he went missing from a treatment facility.

The comments from the island's Health and Social Care (HSC) service came after DNA tests confirmed yesterday that the body found at Havelet three weeks ago was 29-year-old Matthew Bourgaize, whose disappearance sparked a major island-wide search.

The last confirmed sighting or Mr Bourgaize was on Saturday 11 January, as he left the Oberlands mental health facility at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

On Sunday 9 February, a body was recovered from the water at Havelet during stormy weather. At the time, his family and his girlfriend were told the body was likely to be that of Mr Bourgaize, but formal identification could only be confirmed through a DNA test.

The results of that test have now been returned and his family have been informed.

Pictured: The last known sightings of Mr Bourgaize captured on CCTV.

Guernsey Police have also confirmed that Mr Bourgaize's death is not being treated as suspicious and that the case will now be passed to the coroner's court for an inquest to be held. 

That will lead to his funeral being held and a cause of death being established. 

In a brief statement, Guernsey Police asked for Mr Bourgaize's family to be given privacy. Officers also offered their condolences to Mr Bourgaize's family. 

"DNA results have confirmed the identity of the body recovered in Havelet Bay on 9th February to be that of Matthew Bourgaize," the statement said. 

"Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time and we ask their privacy is respected. Police are not treating the death as suspicious and an inquest will take place in due course."

Pictured: The Oberlands facility at Guernsey's Princess Elizabeth Hospital.

Mr Bourgaize was under the care of Health and Social Care at the time he left the Oberlands facility.

He was described as an in-patient at the time of his disappearance, but he was said to have been responding well to treatment before he was allowed a visit, at which time he walked out of the hospital grounds.

HSC has said it will co-operate with the authorities, who will now be working to establish the cause of Mr Bourgaize's death. 

"This is incredibly sad news and all of our thoughts are with Mr Bourgaize’s family and friends," said HSC in a statement.

"The police have confirmed that an inquest will take place to establish cause of death and HSC will of course cooperate fully to support that coronial process.

"It would not be appropriate for us to comment further until the inquest has concluded, but we will do so in due course."