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Police apologise over murders of Diane and Holly Fallon | Police apologise over murders of Diane and Holly Fallon |
(40 minutes later) | |
Strathclyde Police has apologised for its handling of sex offender Thomas Smith, who murdered a mother and her 10-year-old daughter in Ayrshire. | Strathclyde Police has apologised for its handling of sex offender Thomas Smith, who murdered a mother and her 10-year-old daughter in Ayrshire. |
Smith killed Diane Fallon and daughter Holly in Cronberry in March 2009. | Smith killed Diane Fallon and daughter Holly in Cronberry in March 2009. |
An independent review was commissioned after it emerged the killer was a registered sex offender who was living in a flat next door to the family. | |
The force said it was sorry he was able to murder Diane and Holly "while we had responsibility for managing him". | The force said it was sorry he was able to murder Diane and Holly "while we had responsibility for managing him". |
The independent case review said "more robust" management of Smith could have identified his "increasing risk". | The independent case review said "more robust" management of Smith could have identified his "increasing risk". |
The report, by Robert Thomson of the Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority, said: "I cannot say that it would have prevented the murders of Diane and Holly Fallon, but potentially he may not have been in a position to commit these murders at that point in time. | The report, by Robert Thomson of the Lothian and Borders Community Justice Authority, said: "I cannot say that it would have prevented the murders of Diane and Holly Fallon, but potentially he may not have been in a position to commit these murders at that point in time. |
"There were several missed investigative opportunities that should have resulted in Smith being subjected to greater police scrutiny, which may have resulted in a return to custody." | "There were several missed investigative opportunities that should have resulted in Smith being subjected to greater police scrutiny, which may have resulted in a return to custody." |
In response, Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton, of Strathclyde Police, said he accepted the recommendations of the Significant Case Review. | In response, Assistant Chief Constable George Hamilton, of Strathclyde Police, said he accepted the recommendations of the Significant Case Review. |
He said: "It is our job to keep people safe. Doing this means that we have to manage people like Smith in our communities. | He said: "It is our job to keep people safe. Doing this means that we have to manage people like Smith in our communities. |
"I am sorry that he was able to murder Diane and Holly while we had responsibility for managing him. | "I am sorry that he was able to murder Diane and Holly while we had responsibility for managing him. |
"I have met with the family of Diane and Holly Fallon, shared the findings of the report with them and I have made that apology directly to them. | "I have met with the family of Diane and Holly Fallon, shared the findings of the report with them and I have made that apology directly to them. |
"There are undoubtedly things that we could and should have done better." | "There are undoubtedly things that we could and should have done better." |
Mr Hamilton said, as a result of the review process, "lessons have been learned and major improvements have been made". | Mr Hamilton said, as a result of the review process, "lessons have been learned and major improvements have been made". |
Smith had been released from prison in September 2006 after being jailed for six months for an indecent assault on a child in North Yorkshire. | Smith had been released from prison in September 2006 after being jailed for six months for an indecent assault on a child in North Yorkshire. |
The href="http://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/Resources/PDF/I/IndependentSignificantCaseReview.pdf" >Significant Case Review noted that Smith had "perpetrated two sexual assaults on different stranger children in different episodes on the same day". | |
The report said this was "very rare" and Strathclyde Police correctly identified Smith as "high risk". | |
However, the police's reasons for this were "not articulated or analysed". | However, the police's reasons for this were "not articulated or analysed". |
The review called for the police to be more "objective and informed" in risk assessments of sex offenders. | The review called for the police to be more "objective and informed" in risk assessments of sex offenders. |
It also claimed that the "plausibility" given to Smith's denials of the first sex offence by the risk assessment may have "distracted" the officers who had the task of managing him. | It also claimed that the "plausibility" given to Smith's denials of the first sex offence by the risk assessment may have "distracted" the officers who had the task of managing him. |
The review said repeating the offender's version of events in the risk assessment was "not helpful or necessarily good practice". | The review said repeating the offender's version of events in the risk assessment was "not helpful or necessarily good practice". |
The case review concluded that the police's offender management unit was "struggling to proactively manage" offenders with little managerial direction. | |
It also said it was "great concern" that key information was not added to the Scottish Intelligence Database. | |
In the report's conclusion, it said that registered sex offenders were "increasingly aware of their rights and the limited powers the police have in relation to their management". | |
It said: "Officers are personally discouraged from taking innovative action and are less likely to push the boundaries of their police powers in the established climate of litigation and complaint. | |
The review called on the Scottish government to boost police powers over sex offenders. | The review called on the Scottish government to boost police powers over sex offenders. |
Smith was a neighbour of Ms Fallon and her daughter in the small East Ayrshire hamlet, which has just 30 homes, when he murdered them. | Smith was a neighbour of Ms Fallon and her daughter in the small East Ayrshire hamlet, which has just 30 homes, when he murdered them. |
Ms Fallon, 43, was brutally sexually assaulted and her daughter raped before having their necks compressed and being strangled with a ligature. | Ms Fallon, 43, was brutally sexually assaulted and her daughter raped before having their necks compressed and being strangled with a ligature. |
The victims' bodies were then dumped by Smith. | The victims' bodies were then dumped by Smith. |
Jailing Smith, who is now 28, for life at the High Court in Glasgow, Judge Lord Turnbull told him: "You have set a benchmark of depravity below which it is difficult to imagine any other human being sinking." | Jailing Smith, who is now 28, for life at the High Court in Glasgow, Judge Lord Turnbull told him: "You have set a benchmark of depravity below which it is difficult to imagine any other human being sinking." |
The judge said he should serve at least 32 years before being eligible for parole. | The judge said he should serve at least 32 years before being eligible for parole. |