IPCC concludes investigation into circumstances of Staffordshire double death

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has concluded its independent investigation into the actions of Staffordshire Police officers prior to the deaths of Donna Wilson and Shaun Clarke.

On Sunday 21 January 2007, in an attack at her home address Donna Wilson aged 30 from St Stephen’s Court, Burton-upon-Trent received stab wounds and died from her injuries the following day in hospital.  Her attacker, Shaun Clarke aged 45 of Shakespeare Road, Burton, was found dead at Branston Water Park, Burton on Monday 22 January.   In the eight days prior to her death Donna Wilson had been in contact with Staffordshire Police.  She had made allegations of theft and assault against Shaun Clarke, who had forced his way into her home, a ‘warden’ house in a sheltered housing development where she worked, climbing a 6 foot high fence at the rear of the property to do so.  Clarke was at the time living in the community on a life licence under Probation monitoring as a ‘low risk’ of re-offending, having served some 20 years for a previous murder.  In a telephone call with the case officer on 17 January, Donna requested that her allegations be withdrawn for fear of negative impact on her working arrangements.  The officer, quite rightly, informed her that Clarke would nevertheless have to be arrested.  However this did not happen.

The IPCC investigation established that the Force had failed in terms of the duty of care it owed Donna Wilson and concluded that this amounted to systemic failure because repeated opportunities to identify the seriousness of the threat that Clarke presented to Donna and expedite his arrest were missed:

• Initially the police did not visit and assess the scene following the assault incident on 12 January and wrongly assessed the risk Clarke presented to Donna, using the evidence she gave in a detailed statement, as only low to medium rather than high.
• The investigating officer failed to identify who Clarke was, using too narrow ‘search’ parameters on their national and local intelligence databases. This was compounded by the failure to update systems with current data in the Force’s possession as to Clarke’s current address.
• These early failures were then aggravated by the contravention of the Force Domestic Violence Policy (DVP), there being no attempt to arrest Mr Clarke on 13 and 14 January and no sustained attempt thereafter (one attempt only).
• The Force Public Protection Unit (PPU), whose job is to provide back-up to front-line officers and ensure action is taken in accordance with the policy, did not identify the real and present scale of the risk to Donna Wilson by conducting a second risk assessment.  Such assessments had been confined to cases already assessed as ‘high risk’ by the Force in response to the very high volume of incidents being reported to the PPUs but this change was not properly documented or reflected in the Force Domestic Violence Policy.
• A few months before Donna’s murder and as a result of a previous homicide, the Force had reviewed the adequacy of its systems regarding former prisoners living in the county on life licence and to that end had received lists of all life licensees in the county from Staffordshire Probation Service, the agency with lead responsibility for monitoring such licensees.  But the investigation found that in reviewing the names on the Probation lists officers had not fully checked their own records, thus missing another opportunity to spot Clarke’s current address, which was known to Probation.
• The investigation also found failures of supervision.

As a result of the investigation one officer will now face a misconduct panel regarding supervisory matters.  A second officer will receive a written warning.  Three officers will be given management advice in relation to development of procedures for sharing information with other agencies.

The IPCC investigation made a number of recommendations to Staffordshire Police.  The Force is completing an action plan to implement changes.

Following this investigation, the IPCC will also encourage national improvements across all forces in England and Wales relating to:

• The dissemination of the potential national intelligence gaps between the National Probation Service and the Police Service in relation to those released on life licences
• The undertaking of domestic violence homicide reviews, in the context of a Homicide Reduction Policy

IPCC Commissioner John Crawley said: “I have met Donna’s family, the senior management of the Force and the Police Authority to explain and discuss our findings from this important investigation.  It is vital the police seize the opportunity presented by this very detailed examination of this case to minimise any risk presented to the community by life licensees who go on to re-offend.  The Force also needs to ensure that its Domestic Violence Policy is effective and that any changes are subject to proper scrutiny, planning and implementation with timely training.  Local level supervision of the operation of the domestic violence policy is crucial to getting its application right. “

-ends-

Notes for editors:

The IPCC has overall responsibility for the police complaints system. Since April 2006 it has taken on responsibility for similar, serious complaints against HM Revenue and Customs and the Serious Organised Crime Agency in England and Wales. The IPCC’s jurisdiction was extended in 2008 to cover UK Border Agency staff exercising police-like powers.

The IPCC has the task of increasing public confidence in the complaint systems and aims to make investigations more open, timely, proportionate and fair.

The 14 Commissioners who run the IPCC guarantee its independence and by law can never have served as police officers. No Commissioner has worked for HM Revenue and Customs. They are supported by more than 100 independent IPCC investigators plus casework managers and other specialists.

Since April 1 2004 the IPCC has used its powers to begin 264 independent and 663 managed investigations into the most serious complaints against the police and other agencies. It has set new standards for police forces to improve the way the public's complaints are handled. The Commission also handles appeals by the public about the way their complaint was dealt with by the local force.

The IPCC is committed to getting closer to the communities it serves. Its Commissioners and staff are based in IPCC regional offices in Cardiff, Coalville, London and Sale plus a sub office in Wakefield.

The IPCC web site is constantly updated at www.ipcc.gov.uk or members of the public can contact the IPCC on 08453 002 002.