Jon McGregor: Even the Dogs

Furthermore, as Mr Radcliffe was a very substantially built man, it would have been a significant task to have carried or dragged his body any distance following his death; and any suggestion of his body being moved following death would imply foul play, and no evidence of foul play as a cause of death has been found either during post-mortem examination or in the course of the police investigation.

I therefore find that Robert John Radcliffe did in fact come by his death in the sitting room of Flat 1, Riverview Gardens.

Laura sitting in the court trying to listen. Her skin itching and burning. Her hands squeezed between her thighs because once she starts scratching she knows she won’t be able to stop. She should have stayed in the rehab. But there was too much going on. Her dad and everyone else. It was too much to deal with. It weren’t the right time. Be a long time before they let her back in now she’s signed herself out like that. But maybe they. She’s got what mitigating circumstances or something. It’ll be a while but she will. She has to. What else can she do. Can’t keep on like this for ever. Her bones creaking when she shifts in her chair. Did she think when she started it would be like this. Did we. When we all started. Did she see herself here. Did any of us. Did we think ourselves what like blessed like we might just slip through the net. Or what damned and there weren’t no point trying. Was it that. And when her and Danny were lying on the bed together that one time that last time, did she really think she was getting out. Did she think she could sign up for a year in the country and that would be it. She’d be like healed and cleansed and her tears all like wiped away or something more or less like that. That’s what Danny meant was it, when he laughed at her like that, like Laura mate it aint that simple. Takes more than fresh air and talking to get clean and stay clean. Lying on the bed together. Did she even know what he wanted from her all that time. Was it what she liked him but she never. Didn’t they come close once or twice like a bit of messing around but they never. Was it she wouldn’t have minded only it weren’t a priority. Was he on her list of things to do once she was clean. Like college, flat, cup of tea in the morning, Danny. Was it like that. Or was Mike right what he thought. Had she been waiting for Mike all this time. Is she still waiting for him now. All that with the clean white sheets and the smell of coffee and the postman whistling and the big empty house and the cars in the drive. Or was that all Danny and his.

Coroner:. . that the last time she saw her father alive was on the afternoon of the 22nd December, and we will hear from PC Nelson that Mr Radcliffe’s body was discovered on the 31st December.

We can conclude therefore that he came by his death during this nine-day period. The Home Office pathologist has stated that death is likely to have occurred between five and nine days before his body was discovered.

This would put the date of his death at somewhere between the 22nd of December, when he was last seen, and the 26th.

This is as accurate as we are able to be, and this is my finding today.

We look at Robert. We listen to the coroner and we look at the policeman and we stand outside the flat waiting for someone to come and kick down the door. And we want to ask. What was it what happened. What was the last thing you saw. Was it Laura climbing back out the window. Or someone else. Was there. Did Mike come back. Did he bring you anything. Did he try and get. Did he start going on about where you kept your money how you owed him a piece of. And now it’s payback time pal. Is that what. Did he. Not raising his voice or nothing but. Looking you in the eye. Pulling you up to your feet and. Smacking you one in the face and. Was that what. Always seemed like he might do something. Always on the edge that one but it was all. Did he. Did you even have money to give him we want to ask. All the fury and panic in his voice. And his skinny fists. Someone going Do him now get it over with do him now. Was it that. Was it Mike. All those things he says when he gets on one. I will switch on you. I will take you down. If it comes down to it la I will cut out your heart. Clenching his fists and all fucking trembling. Many have tried and many have failed you know what I’m saying I will outwit you all I will outwit you all. All that. I will keep on la if you push me down I will get up again I will keep on getting up again you watch me pal I will rise I will rise I will. All that. Did he say all. Did he climb in the flat and. Was he talking on the phone taking instructions and. But Mike never done nothing like. He talked but he never. Only grievous bodily harm he ever done was on himself. Knives and needles and cigarettes. Cutting and piercing and burning like. But these things he comes out with. Could have been but. Was it. And what did Robert say. If Mike was stood over him like. Was it.

Coroner:. . in answering this question will come from the pathologist’s report, to which I shall refer in due course. Before that, though, I would like to go through, firstly, the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Mr Radcliffe’s body and, secondly, the circumstances of his life in the days and weeks leading up to his death. I therefore call upon our first witness today to come forward.

Court Usher: PC Nelson, please.

Place your left hand on the Bible and repeat the words written on the card.

Pc Nelson: I do solemnly swear that I shall tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.

Court Usher: Thank you. Please be seated.

Coroner: Thank you. Could you first state your full name and position?

pc Nelson: Thomas Craig Nelson, Police Constable.

Coroner: Thank you. Now, I understand that you were the first officer attending when Mr Radcliffe’s body was discovered on the 31st December of last year?

pc Nelson: That is correct, ma’am. There were two of us attending the property, myself and Sergeant Forbes, but as I was the first to locate the body of the deceased I was given the role of first officer attending.

Coroner: Which is a formal role with certain responsibilities.

pc Nelson: That’s correct.

Coroner: Now, I have in front of me a copy of the report which is based upon your notes from the scene. Perhaps you could read the relevant section of that to the court? From the beginning until the arrival of the SOC officers?

pc Nelson: Certainly. Sergeant Forbes and myself were requested to attend the property at Flat 1, Riverview Gardens, and if necessary to effect an entrance. This followed a report by a neighbour that the residents had not been seen or heard for a period of approximately one week and that other neighbours had commented on a noticeable smell. Upon arrival at the property we knocked repeatedly at the door, without response. We spoke briefly to the neighbour, who made a number of assertions about the resident and his associates, namely that drugs were used at the property and that noise was a frequent problem. We effected an entry via the front door, and commenced an inspection of the property.

I found the body of Mr Radcliffe lying on the floor of what I took to be the living room, and informed my colleague. A preliminary inspection revealed a significant quantity of blood on the floor, and so we immediately retreated from the premises with the intention of preserving any evidence should it prove to be the scene of a crime. We called for a doctor to certify death and SOC officers to examine the scene. We secured the scene using cordon tape, and –

Coroner: Thank you, I think I’ll stop you there. So, you entered the flat — you presumably had to break the door open?

pc Nelson: That’s correct. The door was locked, and bolted from the inside, but it was in a state of some disrepair so was easily –