Chief Inspector Timothy Frohwein (pictured) who froze to death on deserted moorland may have died when a fake suicide attempt went 'tragically wrong', an inquest has heard

A married policeman who froze to death on deserted moorland may have died when a fake suicide attempt went 'tragically wrong', an inquest has heard.

Chief Inspector Timothy Frohwein's half-dressed body was found in the Peak District National Park - next to a half empty bottle of whisky and painkillers - nearly one week after he had set off for a hill walk.

Before he was found, the 48-year-old - whose disappearance was described by friends at the time as being 'totally out of character' - had sent text messages to his wife and son which made them fear for his safety.

But an inquest into his death heard how, when he was found, there was told no trace of alcohol in the policeman's body.

The level of drugs in his system was well below 'toxic' and nowhere near the level considered 'fatal', the hearing heard.

Derbyshire Senior Coroner Dr Robert Hunter said he could not be certain that the father-of-three had intended to kill himself.

He said one potential scenario was that the policeman had arranged the scene to look as though he intended to take his own life.

Dr Hunter added that Mr Frohwein might have believed he would be rescued, only for freezing weather and darkness to descend before anyone could help.

'On the balance of the evidence I can't be sure that Mr Frohwein necessarily had the intention to take his own life or that it was a direct result of his own actions.

'It is possible, that while a suicide was stage managed to get the desired effect, things took a turn for the worst,' he told the hearing.

Chesterfield Coroner's Court head how Mr Frohwein was last seen alive as he left his home in Buxton, Derbyshire, in November 2013.

The hearing heard he was spotted walking in the direction of the hills near his home wearing a three-quarter length dark coat, pale blue shirt and brown jeans.

Six days later, the married father-of-three was found near a stone butt on Grouse Moor in the Goyt Valley by a friend who had joined the widespread search party .

Pathologist Dr Andrew Hitchcock told the inquest Mr Frohwein died of hypothermia but it was not possible to say exactly when he had died.

Toxicologist Dr Paul Smith added that Mr Frohwein was found next to a half-empty bottle of whisky, but that there was no alcohol found in his blood or urine.

He said the alcohol could have been broken down in the hours and days after death, but also could mean that he did not have the drink.

Blister packs of amitriptyline - which Mr Frohwein took to cope with neuralgia, but which can also used as an anti-depressant - were found stuffed into the stone walls of the 'butt' which is used by grouse hunters, the hearing was told.

Police Chief Inspector Tim Frohwein is captured on CCTV as he sets off from his hometown of Buxton, Derbyshire for a hill walk in the Peak District six days before his body was found

Before he was found, the 48-year-old had walked out of the family home and sent text messages to his wife and son which made them fear for his safety. The body was found in the Goyt Valley in the Peak District

However toxicology tests showed levels only consistent with 'therapeutic use'.

A pre-inquest review had heard the officer had been overlooked for promotion on two separate occasions.

There were also marital issues and he had recently undergone knee surgery which may have 'contributed to his mental state'.

But Briony Ballard, representing Derbyshire Police, told the inquest there was nothing to support a conclusion 'beyond reasonable doubt' that he had committed suicide.

Paul Clark, for the Frohwein family, argued that it was important to look at all the events that took place before the tragedy and consider it as a possibility.

But Derbyshire's Senior Coroner Dr Robert Hunter replied, saying the evidence pointed to Mr Frohwein dying as a result of 'exposure to the elements'.

'We know that he left the house on Sunday lunchtime and we also know he sent text to his wife and son about intimate issues,' he said.

Derbyshire Police appealed for help to find their missing chief inspector

'These texts in themselves might be evidence to suggest intent, but they are not proof of intent.

'One can envisage a scenario were he has voluntarily left the house, gone up into the High Peak, sent texts to put people in a state of panic or fear.

'He may have poured half a bottle of whisky onto the ground or drunk it. He also placed a number of blister packs of the drugs in crevices of the stone butt. He may have taken some, but that contradicts the toxicology reports.'

He said the whole thing could have been 'staged' by Mr Frohwein 'in the hope that people would come looking for him and he would be rescued'.

'What he did not account for was the weather,' he added. 'With the visibility affected by fog and darkness falling he may have thought it prudent to stay where he was and that people would come to the rescue.

'However things went tragically wrong because of the weather and that took its toll before he was found.'

The coroner added he may have had a row and simply gone for a walk to calm down, but he said 'there is certainly not enough evidence to suggest suicide'.

The chief inspector, a member of the Christian Police Association, was last seen on the Sunday afternoon hours after attending a church service with his wife Lesley, 57.

She sat in court and listened to the evidence along with their three grown up sons Sam, Chris, 24 and 22 year-old Joel.

With 20 years' service in the police, Mr Frohwein had worked as a chief executive of an overseas charity during a career break.

He had served widely across Derbyshire, headed up roads policing and was the operations chief inspector at Chesterfield at the time of his death.

After attending Kingham Hill boarding school in Oxfordshire, Mr Frohwein, studied physical education and economic geography at University College, Chester.

He joined the police force in 1987 aged 22, and had worked for the Kent, Cheshire and Derbyshire police forces in roles as uniform, sergeant and inspector.

He was also a trained hostage negotiator, and spent five years working as international development director for MxM, an NGO with offices in the US, UK, Cyprus and the Middle East.

After Mr Frohwein's death Derbyshire Chief Constable Mick Creedon said: 'We have lost a valued member of the police service and his friends and colleagues will mourn his passing.'