POLICE who staged an armed siege of a York house after a knifeman had barricaded himself inside – and then broke in later to find him hanging – have been cleared of blame for his death.

An inquest jury decided that police officers did everything possible to prevent the death of Kevin Kenna at his home in Danebury Drive, Acomb, York, with the information they had available.

But, following an investigation managed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), North Yorkshire Police have made a series of changes to the way they will handle such incidents in future.

The investigation found that a check of the National Police Computer had revealed that Mr Kenna, aged 47, had “warning markers” in relation to a history of weapons, violence and suicide. But this was not brought to the attention of the officer in charge.

“As a result, he was unaware of Mr Kenna being a suicide risk,” said the IPCC.

Nicholas Jong, the commissioner for Yorkshire, said that although the investigation had identified some lessons to be learned for future operations, it was clear that the officers involved had acted “appropriately and proportionally” given the circumstances.

“They were dealing with an armed man whose intentions were unknown and the actions they took to contain the property before entering were understandable.”

Acting assistant chief constable Steve Read said the force had willingly accepted and acted upon the points highlighted by the investigation, adding: “I am satisfied that our officers responded in an appropriate and professional manner in very difficult circumstances.”

The inquest at New Earswick heard that police were called to the house on September 30, 2006, after reports from his partner that Mr Kenna had a knife and barricaded himself inside with a mattress.

He had earlier rung his partner, with whom he had had an argument the night before, and told her to call the police. She went round to the house from her sister’s, where she had been staying. When she got there, Mr Kenna pushed a medical appointment letter through the letterbox and she saw he had a knife in his hand.

She broke a window to break in through the back, and he ran upstairs, from where she heard furniture being moved around.

She called police at 1.30pm, and officers arrived at 1.47pm, with armed officers despatched at 1.55pm and a cordon placed round the property.

Officers did not enter the house until more than two hours after they were first called. When they then went upstairs they found Mr Kenna hanging from a loft rafter. The jury decided that he died between 1.30pm and 3pm.

In a narrative verdict, they concluded that police had recognised there was a risk of him taking his life and appropriate precautions had been taken to prevent this happening. They said it was not known whether he had actually intended to take his own life.