A distinguished engraver who has created pieces for King Charles and the late Queen is taking legal action against Cambridgeshire Police after armed officers excavated his father's body from the family garden just two days after burial.
The Raid and Arrest
Pierre Frenette, 60, and his wife Donna, 51, were arrested and held in custody for 36 hours following a police raid on their Hail Weston home in September 2023. The couple were detained on suspicion of concealing a body and preventing a lawful burial after Pierre buried his 80-year-old father Peter in the garden of their Cambridgeshire property.
According to court documents, Cambridgeshire Police sealed off the entire village before armed officers raided the Frenette's home. The force stated the arrests were necessary "to ensure a prompt and effective investigation, prevent collusion and the contamination or destruction of evidence and to effect a search".
Family's Distress and Legal Action
The Frenettes claim they were within the five-day legal limit for registering a death and were preparing to do so when police intervened. In emotional court statements, the couple revealed: "We are unable to grieve our loss. What Cambridgeshire police have done to us is barbaric."
When Peter Frenette's body was returned for reburial six weeks later, his son described it as "very decomposed". The couple are now suing the chief constable of Cambridgeshire Police along with three officers, claiming "substantial damages" for alleged trespass, false imprisonment and emotional distress.
Police Defence and Legal Context
Cambridgeshire Police have denied any wrongdoing, stating in defence papers that "the unlawful disposal of a body following an unregistered death is a criminal offence". The force noted the couple were subsequently arrested for alleged possession of a firearm and cannabis.
While burials can legally take place on private land in the UK, they must comply with the Registration of Burial Act 1864. This requires checking land deeds, notifying the registrar of the death, creating a burial register, and following specific distance rules from water sources.
The case has been scheduled for trial at Central London county court next November before Judge Alan Saggerson. Two years after the initial incident, the Frenettes have not been charged with any offence but have been told police investigations are continuing.
Pierre Frenette, who has decorated guns for royalty and a watch for Sir David Beckham, buried his father beside his grandfather's remains in the family garden. Peter Frenette had died of prostate cancer after being taken from Hinchingbrooke Hospital to spend his final days at the home of his former wife.
