Sorry, But The Police Aren’t Totally On The Hook For This One…

The police watchdog has criticised Essex Police for its handling of the case of a woman murdered by her ex-boyfriend.

OK. And the details?

The IPCC report said that in July 2008, Chivers assaulted Ms Stubbings and a risk assessment was carried out by Essex Police and Chivers was considered a "very high risk perpetrator".

In October 2008 he was convicted of assaulting Miss Stubbings and received a four-month jail sentence but as he had already served time on remand he was released immediately.

Ah. Right. Not sure how that’s the fault of the police, though.

Perhaps someone needs to point a few fingers at the laxity of the criminal justice system?

Chivers had previously been convicted of the murder of a girlfriend in Germany in 1993 and had served 15 years in jail before being deported back to the UK.

Police knew of the conviction and the fact Chivers had been convicted for an assault of Ms Stubbings, but did not have the legal powers to impose the normal restrictions on someone convicted of a murder because it was committed abroad.

Not sure how that’s the fault of the police, either. Once again, it’s down to the criminal justice system to ensure that, should such powers be considered necessary, they are made available.

Until they are, well....

Had Chivers committed the first murder in the UK he would have been on life licence following his release, and on his conviction for assault in July 2008 he could have been recalled to prison.

And if my auntie had testicles, she’d be my uncle.

On 11 December 2008 Ms Stubbings called police to report a burglary at her house which she suspected had been carried out by Chivers.

The next day police found Ms Stubbings' 15-year-old son in a car with Chivers and took him home.

Police officers witnessed her shock and saw her say to her son "you know what he's done".

Sooooo…it doesn’t sound like the whole family is totally onboard with the dire, obvious threat presented by Mr Chivers, does it?

The following day she informed police that she did not want to pursue the burglary report…

So they should have ignored this? And followed it up anyway?

The IPCC found that when Ms Stubbings reported that Chivers had been in her house, the initial call taker failed to record the correct address which meant that any alerts attached to her address were not accessed.

No further checks were undertaken and the call was wrongly treated as a report of a burglary rather than a domestic violence matter.

The IPCC said the call handler should face action for poor performance.

For what might have been a simple typo, for all we know? And for not overruling the wishes of the complainant and regarding this as more than a burglary?

Tell me, apart from Chivers’ background, how does this case (so far) seem any different from the messy nature of the sort of calls described by Gadget in his blog?

At some point between 16 and 19 December 2008, Chivers murdered Ms Stubbings.

A planned police visit to Ms Stubbings' home on 17 December did not take place because the female officer said she could not find anyone to accompany her.

No doubt force policy. Are any senior officers getting it in the neck for this, or just front-line workers?

On 18 December two police officers went to the house where Chivers said Ms Stubbings was staying with friends and he was looking after the home, despite her car being on the drive.

Because it’s not like she might have taken a train or a bus…

The family are outraged, of course:

Ms Stubbings' daughter Celia Peachy said of the police: "They didn't do their job.

"If they had, after that first assault, directed her to a refuge, her life would have been saved. We will fight for justice."

You mean, it was beyond her skills to find a refuge herself if she felt the situation warranted one?

Does she bear no responsibility at all, then?

IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne added: "I am unable to make sense of the ease with which two officers were fobbed off by Marc Chivers.

"They were far too easily persuaded by the account of a man they knew to be a convicted murderer..."

This from a criminal justice system that insists that prison warders refer to their charges with ‘respect’…

Her brother Manuel Fernandez said: "Clearly there were a series of events that were ignored.

"Two years to investigate this incident is just woeful for this family.

"Police had countless opportunities to intervene. We are going to pursue justice through a number of means including possibly civil."

Yes, some filthy lucre will make it all better, won’t it?