Ten police officers under review after abuse deaths
Fiona Pilkington, 38, killed herself and her daughter Francecca Hardwick, 18, following years of abuse from a gang in Barwell, Leicestershire
Tuesday, 16, Mar 2010 12:36
By Sarah Garrod.
Ten police officers are under investigation over how they handled the case of a mother and her disabled daughter who were found dead in a burnt-out car following years of abuse from youths.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said its ongoing investigation into the deaths had now seen advisory notices served on ten Leicestershire police officers, adding "this situation is being kept under review".
Fiona Pilkington, 38, killed herself and her daughter Francecca Hardwick, 18, following years of abuse from a gang in Barwell, Leicestershire. An inquest jury looking into the deaths discovered police were contacted 33 times in ten years about youths bullying Ms Pilkington and Ms Hardwick.
The inquest found last year that despite repeated pleas for help, Ms Pilkington received only eight visits from police officers.
The IPCC statement said this morning that the investigation was ongoing: "We have gathered a variety of material and liaised with the police force, local social services and Hinckley Borough Council, who have cooperated fully.
"We have now served advisory notices on a total of ten Leicestershire police officers and this situation is being kept under review. Such notices are not judgemental in any way, but are required under police misconduct regulations, and served on officers to advise that their conduct is under investigation."
The two women were found dead in a burnt-out car parked in a lay-by on the A47 in Earl Shilton, in October 2007.
The IPCC added: "This complex inquiry is going back over police contact with Fiona Pilkington, her daughter and neighbours over a period of several years. We are assessing information from family members, neighbours, the authorities involved, records of police contact, and the accounts of relevant police officers themselves.
"The extensive nature of the investigation means there is still substantial further work to do, and enquiries to be made by the IPCC. We are progressing this rigorous investigation as swiftly as possible and will make our findings public in due course."