A firefighter has been found dead after being spoken to by police investigating sex abuse allegations.
The man, who was in his 40s, was found dead at his home in Colchester on Monday.
It emerged on Thursday that Essex Fire and Rescue Service alerted police after being told of sex abuse claims at fire stations in Essex believed to date back to the 1980s.
Essex Police confirmed that it had referred the man’s death, which is not being treated as suspicious, to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) because the man had recently been spoken to by officers.
The IPCC has referred the matter back to Essex Police after concluding it was satisfied with the force’s handling of the case.
Confirming the investigation, a spokesman for the fire service said: “During an internal investigation, senior managers were made aware of allegations of potential criminal activity within the service.
“These matters were alleged to have happened some time ago but, due to their serious nature and following clear legal advice, managers referred the matter to Essex Police.
“Since then, the service has been co-operating fully with the police inquiry and has advised staff to do the same.”