Concerns about Inverness man's 999 call raised by family

Albert Insch was found dead at his flat on 27 October

The family of a 72-year-old man whose death has prompted an investigation fear he may have lain on a floor for hours after making a 999 call.

Albert Insch made the call on 26 October and was found dead at his flat in a sheltered housing complex in Inverness the next day.

His family say they have been given different accounts of the response to his 999 call.

Police Scotland said it could not comment.

The force's watchdog - the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) - is looking into the initial response to Mr Insch's call.

The force said earlier this week that it was "fully engaging" with the investigation.

Mr Insch's family said the pensioner had previously called 999 after falling. This would mean his details should have stored on the 999 call system.

The family has now given an account of what they said police and Pirc had told them of events surrounding his death.

On the day of Mr Insch's body was found, police told his family that he had been discovered dead in a chair in his home by his carer.

The following day, police told the family that a 999 call had been made from Mr Insch's mobile on 26 October but no service was requested.

They said the call was not traced so there was no response.

'Very distressing'

Five days later, on 2 November, members of staff from Pirc told the family that it was investigating the police response to the 999 call.

In a newly-released statement, Mr Insch's family said: "They asked us if Dad had lived at another flat in MacEwen Court. We said he had not. At that point we realised that the police had attended (on 26 October)."

A police liaison officer confirmed that police did attend, but there was "a mix up and they went to the incorrect address", said the family.

On Tuesday 8 November, a resident at the sheltered complex told the family of seeing officers there on 26 October but initially seeking a "Mr Albert" at the wrong address. The family were also told he was found on the floor and not in a chair.

The family said: "It's very distressing to the family to think he may have been lying alone for hours waiting for someone who was never coming.

"At this point we have no idea what lead to his death or if it could have been prevented if the police had just opened his door which was unlocked."

On Monday, Pirc said commissioner Kate Frame has been asked to scrutinise the initial police response to the man's call.

A spokesman for Pirc said: "The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has instructed the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner to undertake an investigation into the initial police response to a call from a 72-year-old man who was later found dead at a sheltered housing complex in Inverness.

"A report on the commissioner's findings will be submitted to the COPFS in due course."