A police watchdog is to carry out an investigation into how officers dealt with years of anti-social behaviour aimed at tragic David Askew.

Mr Askew, who had learning disabilities, collapsed and died in the front garden of his house on Melandra Crescent, Hattersley.

The 64-year-old had suffered decades of torment and abuse at the hands of yobs in the area.

A post mortem into Mr Askew's death has proved inconclusive and further tests are being carried out to determine exactly how he died.

Today FRI the Independent Police Complaints Commission announced it would carry out an independent investigation into how Greater Manchester Police handled the abuse he and his family suffered 'over a number of years'.

The force had voluntarily referred to the matter to the IPCC, which could have declined to investigate, manage the police's own investigation or carry out an independent investigation.

The watchdog today announced it would mount an independent investigation.

IPCC Commissioner Naseem Malik said: “The subject of anti-social behaviour and how police forces respond to it is clearly a matter of great concern for the public.

Deepest sympathies

“It is the type of low level crime which has the potential to impact massively on quality of life – and, in rare incidents such as this, result in tragedy. My deepest sympathies go out to Mr Askew’s relatives at this terrible time.

“I believe it is in the public interest for the IPCC to examine this case. Our involvement is not necessarily an indication that Greater Manchester Police have failed Mr Askew in any way.

“It is apparent from the information we have seen so far that the force, and in particular the neighbourhood policing team, had spent a great deal of time on the incidents.

“But I think it is important for the IPCC to examine how incidents of this type, where there are allegations that a family and an individual have been the subject of long-running campaign of persistent anti-social behaviour, have been dealt with by police and other agencies.

“We will examine the work of individuals and the systems in place to deal with such crime. This may identify lessons to be learned to improve systems which would be useful to share with other police forces.”

Kial Cottingham, 18, also of Melandra Crescent, has appeared in court charged with harassing Mr Askew over a period of six weeks before his death.