IPCC independently investigating conduct of two senior Surrey Police officers in relation to their alleged knowledge that Milly Dowler’s mobile phone was hacked

Surrey Police Authority voluntarily referred the conduct of Deputy Chief Constable Craig Denholm on Thursday, 21 June.

 

Mr Denholm was a Detective Chief Superintendent and the senior investigating officer for part of Operation Ruby, the Surrey Police investigation into the abduction and murder of Milly Dowler in 2002. The IPCC investigation is considering whether Mr Denholm was aware during Operation Ruby that the NOTW had accessed Milly Dowler’s voicemail in 2002 and his handling of that information.

 

A referral was also received from Surrey Police on Thursday, 21 June in relation to the conduct of temporary Detective Superintendent Maria Woodall who was a Detective Chief Inspector and the senior investigating officer on Operation Ruby from 2006 onwards. The IPCC investigation is examining the information she provided to Surrey Police during the course of the internal inquiry into the force response to allegations that Milly Dowler’s voicemail had been illegally accessed in 2002.

 

The family of Milly Dowler is aware of the IPCC investigation.

 

In a statement, the Dowler family said: “The Dowler family welcomes the proper investigation of what happened at Surrey Police 10 years ago. They regret that the passage of time means that some individuals can now no longer be investigated. The family have no further comment to make at this time.”

 

Operation Weeting, the criminal investigation by the Metropolitan Police Service into allegations of phone hacking, is on-going and it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage.