The family of Andrew Frederick, 47, who was found dead at his home in Grenada on 4 January, have called for an urgent review of UK support policies for relatives of British nationals killed overseas.
A family spokesperson said they were forced to launch a public appeal for information and hire independent forensic experts and private detectives after concerns about the direction of the Grenada police investigation. A forensic examination, approved by the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), concluded that Frederick had been tortured and his death was a homicide.
The family then referred the case to the FCDO, but the office declined to pass the file to its Murder and Manslaughter Team, a specialist unit that supports families of British citizens killed abroad. The family said: 'The FCDO chose to rely on the local police's classification of Andrew's death as 'suspicious but not a homicide', instead of the conclusion of the only medical expert who had examined the body.'
Local MP Rupa Huq raised the matter in Parliament in April, asking what legal basis allowed the FCDO to prioritise a foreign police's classification over a forensic expert's conclusion. FCDO minister Hamish Falconer acknowledged there were no specific guidelines for such cases.
Frederick's family said they have received no information or updates from the RGPF since mid-January, worsening their grief. 'For nearly five months we have had to run our own campaign for justice, look at horrific photographs, and face the reality that the organisations set up to help families like ours are forcing us to fight for the most basic support.'
Eve Henderson, founder of the charity Murdered Abroad, which supports the Frederick family, said she did not understand why the UK refused help from the specialist team when the forensic report and death certificate both classified the case as murder. On average, 60-80 British nationals are killed abroad each year, but support is largely discretionary rather than statutory.
An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We are supporting the family of a British national who died in Grenada and are in contact with local authorities.' Grenada police and prosecutor Howard Pinnock said Frederick's file had been reviewed and was heading towards an inquest.
