A whistleblower named in a fire chief’s alleged “suicide note” is to be given police protection at the inquest, The Telegraph can reveal.

Wayne Brown, Britain’s first black fire chief, was found dead at his Birmingham apartment less than a year after being appointed to the top job at West Midlands Fire Service.

Ahead of the inquest on Monday, detectives have been called in to investigate safety expert Ben Walker’s claims he had been threatened. Mr Walker reported Mr Brown for allegedly fabricating qualifications on his CV.

Mr Walker, who is now bringing a 7.2million claim for damages against the fire service and West Midlands Police, was issued with a threat to life warning by officers immediately after the death of Mr Brown and recently received messages telling him to “stop hiding” and to hand over his home address.

Officers assigned to the inquest have been made aware of the concerns and it is thought protection could include a chaperone.

Mr Brown, a highly respected and “inspirational” firefighter who had worked his way up the ranks, became chief fire officer of West Midlands Fire Service in April 2023.

He had spent three decades in the fire brigade and had responded to the Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 that claimed 72 lives and terror attacks.

But he died in January 2024, a day after the service announced he was under investigation over claims about his qualifications for the role.

At the time the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Authority said his death was not...

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