Gaia Pope inquest: Dorset Police search 'didn't make sense'

The inquest into the death of 19-year-old Gaia Pope, who went missing in Swanage on November 7, 2017 and was found 11 days later in undergrowth on a cliff top between Anvil Point and Dancing Ledge, continued at Bournemouth Town Hall on Wednesday.

Clara Pope-Sutherland, Ms Pope’s sister, said she told police on multiple occasions to search Dancing Ledge as it was a place of significance for their family.

Community join search for missing Gaia Pope

“We had racked our brains trying to think where she could possibly be,” the 25-year-old told the hearing.

“It didn’t seem like they were not listening – not at least to me – but there were certain aspects of the things they were saying and focusing on that didn’t make much sense to me, despite my comments.

“I had said on multiple times and commented on the significance of the Dancing Ledge walk.

“In my mind, it didn’t make much sense that she would be anywhere else other than trying to be there and being close with him, my grandfather.”

Clara Pope-Sutherland even drew a map for officers showing where in Dancing Ledge her sister could have been and told family liaison officer Richard Bailey and Detective Constable Lovering to search that area. She added the map was not recorded by police.

“I am not aware of where the police searched but I believe inquiries were looking outside of that area and I remember specifically saying this is where I would search.

“I would have put my walking boots on and gone up there myself. It was November and it was cold and we were consistently advised by family liaison officers and other officers, even throughout the community search that we had set up, not to go up into the countryside where it could be dangerous and where the police were handling the search.

“Having told several police officers this was the area where I thought that she would be, and unfortunately where she was ultimately found, I was under the impression, along with my mum and other members of the family who had also expressed a similar sentiment that she would be in that area, I felt confident that I would have been listened to and that area searched.

“That diagram seems not to have been recorded.”

A diver searches for Gaia Pope

Shortly before her disappearance, Ms Pope was due to meet with police to report an incident where she had received indecent images online.

Clara Pope-Sutherland told the hearing she noticed Ms Pope nearing a breakdown as her online social media posts increased.

“She was actively trying to warn people of the behaviour of this person so they would not experience what she went through,” Clara Pope-Sutherland said.

“I have no doubt in my mind the build up to the appointment with police and lack of mental health treatment caused her to run.”

The inquest continues.