Murderer of boy, five, says probation service should have done more

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/sep/03/murderer-probation-service-marvyn-iheanacho

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A man with multiple convictions for violence including murdering his partner’s child has said the probation service should have done more to protect his victims.

Alex Malcolm, five, sustained fatal head injuries after being battered in a south London park by Marvyn Iheanacho, who flew into a rage at the boy for losing a shoe.

Iheanacho, who was then the boyfriend of Alex’s mother, Lilya Breha, had a string of previous convictions for violent offences, including attacks on former girlfriends.

At the time of the incident in 2016, he was under supervision from the National Probation Service (NPS), having been released from prison less than six months earlier.

In a letter read to the jury for the inquest into Alex’s death, Iheanacho said: “My probation worker did not do enough to help me settle down again. Why did my probation officer not inform Lilya … perhaps if she had, things might be very different.”

Iheanacho was convicted in 2017 of murdering Alex and sentenced to life in jail. In the note, written from prison that year, Iheanacho also said probation staff had been aware of his temper, and issues with drugs and alcohol, adding: “She should have done more.”

As part of his probation agreement, Iheanacho’s caseworkers were supposed to be made aware of any new developing relationships.

Breha previously told the inquest that the probation service had not warned her of her partner’s violent history, or asked if she had children.

The 32-year-old told the court on Monday that caseworkers would laugh and joke with Iheanacho on the phone, adding: “I could see how lenient they were with him and I never thought there were any serious problems.”

A probation official previously told the hearing at Southwark coroner’s court that staff in London were overstretched and dealing with an estimated 5-10% increase in their case load.

This was after a significant restructuring in 2014, during which some work was handed over to private firms, he said.

Andrew Blight, the interim deputy divisional director of NPS in London, told the jury on Tuesday morning: “We had been struggling with recruitment since 2014. Staff morale was low. Although it was two years after [the restructure], we were still working through a lot of the detail. The impact was still very, very much in effect and very much being felt.”

He indicated that the issues were continuing half a decade later, adding that there were not enough caseworkers in most places, something that was “still a problem” in the capital.

Officers involved in Iheanacho’s case will give evidence at a later date. The inquest continues.