Inquiry still ongoing in UK detective’s death

Officer France’s vehicle being recovered after the tragic incident on October 6 last year.

Governor John Rankin has downplayed concerns about the blanket silence from the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) over the death of United Kingdom police officer, Detective Sergeant Paul France.

Detective France’s lifeless body was discovered on October 6, 2023, in an SUV submerged off the rocky shorefront area near the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital.

However, despite the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death, both Governor Rankin and Police Commissioner Mark Collins indicated that there was no evidence of foul play.

When questioned recently about the reason for the lack of information given to the public, Rankin indicated that there is still an ongoing enquiry into the detective’s death.

“You have a fatal death inquiry, and so only after that inquiry takes place are those results released,” Governor Rankin said. Commissioner Collins previously explained that the investigation into the detective’s death suggested that it was unlikely that France committed suicide.

“I have nothing at the moment that suggests that any foul play has taken place. We have trolled CCTV. We have eyewitnesses. We have spoken to the people that he was with immediately before,” Collins said late last year.

Colleagues and friends held a memorial service in France’s honour in late November, last year.

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