Ex-mayor died by suicide after arrest - coroner

A serving councillor took his own life days after being arrested on suspicion of an online sexual offence, a coroner has concluded.

Cahal Burke, who died on 9 March, represented the Lindley ward in Huddersfield on Kirklees Council from 2010 until his suspension from the Liberal Democrat party on 4 March. He was mayor for one year in 2023-4.

Burke was arrested in February and was on bail at the time of his death. Following an inquest in writing on 4 August, assistant coroner Charlotte Keighley ruled the 48-year-old's cause of death was drug toxicity.

West Yorkshire Police said it was "continuing to conduct some inquires as part of our safeguarding responsibilities".

In a report containing her findings, Keighley said Burke's family had visited his home address in Huddersfield on 6 March to check on him, as they had not heard from him for a number of days.

They found him in a "collapsed and unresponsive condition", she stated.

"Paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service attended and Cahal's death was confirmed at 10:13 hours the same day," she said.

A postmortem examination was undertaken on 12 March and a toxicology report issued.

Concluding that the cause of Burke's death was suicide, Keighley added: "I would like to express condolences to Cahal's family and friends."

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