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Fiona Pilkington officers to face misconduct hearings | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Four officers face misconduct hearings after police "missed opportunties" to stop a gang terrorising a woman who later killed herself and her daughter. | |
Fiona Pilkington, 38, and 18-year-old Francecca Hardwick, who was disabled, died in October 2007 when Ms Pilkington set fire to their car. | |
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has found the family should have been identified as "vulnerable". | |
They had complained 33 times to Leicestershire Police about harassment. | |
IPCC Commissioner Amerdeep Somal said: "There was nothing in place to ensure the Pilkington family were considered by police as vulnerable or repeat victims, contrary to the force's own strategy. | |
"Systems were in place for officers to have linked the catalogue of incidents but these were not well utilised. | |
"Police missed several opportunities to take robust action, inadequately investigated criminal allegations on some occasions and failed to record information on their own intelligence system." | |
Over the course of 10 years, Ms Pilkington's home in Barwell was repeatedly targeted by groups of up to 16 youngsters, with stones, eggs and flour thrown at the house. | |
'Gave up' | |
She repeatedly reported the incidents, but in that time received only eight visits from officers. | |
An inquest in 2009 heard that six months before her death she had told her family: "I give up." | |
The 38-year-old killed herself and Francecca by pouring petrol over their car in a lay-by on the A47 in nearby Earl Shilton. | |
The inquest found that failings by the Leicestershire force - along with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council - had contributed to the deaths. | |
The coroner said the abuse had been classified as anti-social behaviour, rather than crime, and that information had not been properly shared. | |
The case has led to a review of the way police forces deal with targeted anti-social behaviour. | The case has led to a review of the way police forces deal with targeted anti-social behaviour. |
Last year, Ms Pilkington's family announced they had issued legal proceedings against Leicestershire Police and the two councils. | |