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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Mary Griffiths death: Children lose damages case over bolt-gun murder | Mary Griffiths death: Children lose damages case over bolt-gun murder |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The three daughters of a woman murdered by a stalker with a bolt-gun have lost their battle for damages. | The three daughters of a woman murdered by a stalker with a bolt-gun have lost their battle for damages. |
| Mary Griffiths, 38, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was killed by John McFarlane, who was jailed for life in May 2009. | Mary Griffiths, 38, of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, was killed by John McFarlane, who was jailed for life in May 2009. |
| Her children brought a case against Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and Suffolk Police, arguing if proper steps had been taken their mother would not have been murdered. | Her children brought a case against Suffolk Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust and Suffolk Police, arguing if proper steps had been taken their mother would not have been murdered. |
| A High Court judge has dismissed their claims. | A High Court judge has dismissed their claims. |
| Fitness instructor Ms Griffiths was killed after McFarlane smashed through the back door of her home with an axe as she and her three daughters slept in the early hours of 6 May 2009. | |
| The slaughterman dragged her from her bed, where her 10-year-old daughter was also sleeping, beat her and shot her twice in the chest and once in the shoulder with a bolt-gun normally used for stunning livestock. | The slaughterman dragged her from her bed, where her 10-year-old daughter was also sleeping, beat her and shot her twice in the chest and once in the shoulder with a bolt-gun normally used for stunning livestock. |
| Evidence showed McFarlane had been stalking and harassing Ms Griffiths, and she had called police the day before she died saying she was "really frightened". | Evidence showed McFarlane had been stalking and harassing Ms Griffiths, and she had called police the day before she died saying she was "really frightened". |
| Her daughters, Jessica, Hannah, and Sophie, claimed her death was "preventable". | Her daughters, Jessica, Hannah, and Sophie, claimed her death was "preventable". |
| Judge's ruling | Judge's ruling |
| The three sisters took legal action under fatal accidents legislation and complained of a "wrongful act, neglect or default" by police and health authority bosses. | The three sisters took legal action under fatal accidents legislation and complained of a "wrongful act, neglect or default" by police and health authority bosses. |
| Suffolk Police and the health trust disputed the claims. | Suffolk Police and the health trust disputed the claims. |
| Mr Justice Duncan Ouseley dismissed their case after analysing evidence from a High Court trial held in London in November 2017. | Mr Justice Duncan Ouseley dismissed their case after analysing evidence from a High Court trial held in London in November 2017. |
| In his written judgement, he said it would be "speculative" to suggest the police could have taken steps which "would have prevented the murder". | In his written judgement, he said it would be "speculative" to suggest the police could have taken steps which "would have prevented the murder". |
| The judge said there was no basis on which the Mental Health Act Assessment Panel ought to have concluded that McFarlane posed a risk to the public because there was a risk that he would kill himself. | The judge said there was no basis on which the Mental Health Act Assessment Panel ought to have concluded that McFarlane posed a risk to the public because there was a risk that he would kill himself. |
| He said: "On the basis of what was known to the mental health services, they could not have made any prediction of significant harm coming to Ms Griffiths." | He said: "On the basis of what was known to the mental health services, they could not have made any prediction of significant harm coming to Ms Griffiths." |
| Lawyers representing police had told the judge that Ms Griffiths' daughters had a right to criminal injuries compensation. | Lawyers representing police had told the judge that Ms Griffiths' daughters had a right to criminal injuries compensation. |
| But they said evidence did not show that police acted unlawfully. | But they said evidence did not show that police acted unlawfully. |
| Lawyers representing the trust said there was "no support for the contention" that staff knew or ought to have known that McFarlane was stalking or harassing Ms Griffiths. | Lawyers representing the trust said there was "no support for the contention" that staff knew or ought to have known that McFarlane was stalking or harassing Ms Griffiths. |
| A spokesman from Imran Khan Solicitors, which represented the sisters, said lawyers would study the judge's written ruling before making decisions about what to do next. | A spokesman from Imran Khan Solicitors, which represented the sisters, said lawyers would study the judge's written ruling before making decisions about what to do next. |