Handcuffed at 2am and forced into a police van, the 78-year-old who just wanted to find his wife

A pensioner who frantically searched the streets for his ‘missing’ wife was later arrested, handcuffed and put in a police van for an hour. Edward Cope, 74, was detained as he objected to his partner being taken back to hospital after she earlier visited for a capacity assessment.

Four officers and two paramedics turned up at Mr Cope’s Sale home at around 2am on Wednesday (February 19). His wife attended Wythenshawe Hospital, voluntarily, earlier that day. She left of her own accord after it was decided she did not require further treatment.

But as she left, of her own accord, before being formally discharged, she was deemed to be ‘missing’. A nurse later called Mr Cope to see if his wife had been in touch. He called the police before frantically searching the streets himself.

She eventually arrived home, by taxi, at 12.30am. Retired Manchester Airport baggage handler Mr Cope said police and paramedics knocked on his door in the early hours, saying his wife needed to go back to hospital to be assessed.

As part of standard practice when dealing with patients deemed to be missing, the hospital had alerted Greater Manchester Police and the North West Ambulance Service.

“I told them I would not allow her to go back to hospital,” he said. “I was then arrested, handcuffed and placed in a van while my wife was questioned. In my 74 years, I have never been in trouble with the police. The handcuffs cut into my wrist and the van was freezing.”

Mr Cope, after an hour, was later de-arrested and no further action was taken. He said that while he was in the van, officers woke his wife up to discuss her going back to hospital. In the end, she stayed at home.

Mr Cope has made a formal complaint to GMP. A force spokesperson said: “We were called to support the ambulance service after they reported that a man was repeatedly refusing them to medically assess an unwell woman.

“Attempts to engage with him were unsuccessful. To ensure the woman could be checked by paramedics, officers detained the man, and the medical assessment took place. The man was allowed back into the address once it was complete.

“We understand the concerns raised by Mr Cope and we would have preferred the scenario to have played out differently. However, the priority of all concerned, including him, was the welfare of the woman and ensuring she could be properly assessed.”

The force said Mr Cope was arrested on suspicion of breach of the peace before being de-arrested. Mr Cope has been his wife’s full time carer for 10 years. She has suffered a series of bleeds on the brain, has had major surgery and takes medication daily.

Mr Cope said that in the days before the incident, it was agreed his wife needed a capacity test, to judge whether she was still able to make her own decisions over her care.

The day of the assessment, a nurse called him – at around 10pm – saying she had left the hospital. After searching the streets and reporting her missing to police, Mr Cope said he got a call to say an ambulance was being sent so his wife could be returned to hospital.

He told the caller she wouldn’t be going back, before officers knocked on his door and he was arrested. “I believe I had the right to challenge the police in my own home on matters concerning my wife, who is under my care,” he said. “It was is over the top policing. I did not threaten or attack any staff. I was strongly vocal.”

Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Wythenshawe hospital, said in a statement: “We can confirm [Mr Cope’s wife] attended Wythenshawe Hospital’s A&E department on February 18, 2025. [She] was assessed and did not require further hospital treatment. Hospital staff discussed this with [her] and her husband. [She] then decided to leave the A&E department of her own accord before she could be formally discharged.

“As [she] left without any formal discharge arrangements, our hospital staff continued to follow the correct procedures and alerted the North West Ambulance Service and Greater Manchester Police to follow up with Mrs Cope in line with the standard missing patients policy.”

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