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Rochdale woman falls to death from car park roof just days after man accused of raping her was acquitted

By Tim Hyde

A Rochdale woman has fallen to her death from the roof of shopping centre car park days after a man she accused of raping her was acquitted by a jury.

Patrick Hall, 24, of Banff Grove, Heywood was cleared last Friday of attacking three women in the Rochdale area, including Tracy Shelvey, 41.

Some time after 10pm yesterday evening, specialist officers were called to the Wheatsheaf shopping centre car park in Rochdale after hearing reports that Tracy was on the roof.

Officers failed to talk her down and she eventually fell from the building.

She was taken to hospital and later died from her injuries.

Assistant Chief Constable Dawn Copley of Greater Manchester Police said: “I would firstly like to offer my condolences to the family of the woman who has sadly died.

“Our thoughts are with the family at what is clearly a traumatic time for them and we will be offering them as much support and welfare as they need over the coming days and weeks.

“The woman had been a complainant in a case that recently concluded at court, and throughout that process specially-trained officers from Greater Manchester Police had been providing her with regular support and advice.

“This is a terribly sad end to what has been a long and difficult case.”

Since discovering the verdict of the court case, which concluded on January 31, the woman had been in a distressed state and was receiving regular support from specially trained GMP officers.

After finding out the news the woman called GMP and again officers, along with ambulance staff, made a personal visit to her home and arranged a referral to a support agency.  

Following her death, GMP have launched an independent investigation as well as referring the case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Chief Constable Copley added: “A full investigation will be carried out to establish the circumstances leading up to this woman’s death and it is important, especially for the woman’s family, that we do not speculate about what may have happened until all the facts are known.”

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