'Dead' man traced by own phone

Published on Friday 19 September 2008 21:40

A FATHER who faked his own suicide before using his mobile phone to report his disappearance to police has been jailed for 12 months.

Mark Bailey, 44, of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, sparked a major search when he left a rucksack containing suicide notes at the top of a cliff. He was held later the same day on a train at Goole rail station, in East Yorkshire, after the emergency call he made was traced to his own phone.

Bailey was sentenced at Hull Crown Court yesterday after he earlier pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

The court heard he told his family he was going on holiday by himself before travelling to East Yorkshire, where he left notes to his partner, daughter and parents, along with an empty bottle of spirits, on a cliff between Sewerby and Danes Dyke. He then called police on his own mobile phone to report finding the rucksack.

Police, Coastguards and volunteers took part in the subsequent air-and-sea search, during which Bailey was seen by officers to whom he gave a fake name.

The earlier emergency call was traced to Bailey's phone and when later arrested on a train, he again gave a false identity.

The court heard that, at the time he faked his death in June, he was being investigated over allegations of assault.