IPCC publishes Lynette White independent investigation terms of reference

​13 February 2012

Statement from IPCC Commissioner Sarah Green

“This is a very tightly focused investigation that concentrates on events regarding the alleged destruction of IPCC documents that were referred to in Swansea Crown Court. We are not investigating the reasons for the collapse of the trial, which is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“We have already met with the inspector carrying out Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate review announced on 26 January and will continue to update him on our progress.

“I will ensure that the IPCC investigation findings are published in full at the conclusion of our investigation.”

The IPCC investigation will seek: 

1. To establish the date that each of the four specific copy files of documents came into the possession of the Disclosure Team on the Lynette White III investigation.
2. To establish what disclosure process each of the four specific copy files of documents was subjected to by any police officer or police staff member and any recording process used to detail that disclosure process.
3. To establish if any decision was made to destroy any of those four specific copy files of documents by any police officer or police staff member and if so whether any police officer or police staff member properly recorded the reasoning and rationale for such a decision.
4. To establish the movements and location of the four specific copy files of documents from the time they originally came into the possession of the Lynette White III investigation until their discovery on 17 January 2012 still in the possession of South Wales Police.

- ENDS –

Notes for editors

•  The Crown Court in Swansea was told by prosecution counsel on 1 December 2010 that four files relating to complaints made to the IPCC had been destroyed by officers from South Wales Police.

• The documents which were discovered to have still been in the possession of SWP were examined by the IPCC and have been positively verified as the photocopied files submitted by the IPCC as part of its third party disclosure in the summer of 2009 in advance of the trial.

• The material is all of document 7447 - this disclosure reference comprised of photocopies of three complaint files against SWP from one of the original defendants in the Lynette White murder trial. 

• It also contained part of document 7448 – this disclosure reference contained the relevant material from the IPCC and was a photocopied file relating to a complaint against the South Wales Police LWIII investigation team. 

• The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, announced the terms of reference of the review to be carried out by Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate on 26 January 2012.
  http://www.cps.gov.uk/news/press_statements/statement_from_the_dpp_on_the_collapse_of_the_south_wales_police_case/