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| Newport shooting: IPCC criticises police handling of domestic abuse case | Newport shooting: IPCC criticises police handling of domestic abuse case |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| A woman who was shot by her estranged husband and whose son apparently committed suicide weeks later has criticised failings by the police and other agencies over the handling of the case. | A woman who was shot by her estranged husband and whose son apparently committed suicide weeks later has criticised failings by the police and other agencies over the handling of the case. |
| Rachel Williams almost lost her leg when her husband, Darren Williams, walked into the hair salon where she worked in Newport, south Wales, and opened fire with a sawn-off shot gun. | Rachel Williams almost lost her leg when her husband, Darren Williams, walked into the hair salon where she worked in Newport, south Wales, and opened fire with a sawn-off shot gun. |
| Williams, a 6ft 7ins tall bodybuilder, told his wife: "I love you" and was later found dead in nearby woodland having taken his own life. After the attack in August 2011, police discovered a cache of weapons including swords, knives and air rifles as well as memorabilia relating to the Kray twins at Williams's home. | Williams, a 6ft 7ins tall bodybuilder, told his wife: "I love you" and was later found dead in nearby woodland having taken his own life. After the attack in August 2011, police discovered a cache of weapons including swords, knives and air rifles as well as memorabilia relating to the Kray twins at Williams's home. |
| Six weeks later, the couple's 16-year-old son, Jack, who had blamed his mother for his father's death, was found hanged in the same woodland. | Six weeks later, the couple's 16-year-old son, Jack, who had blamed his mother for his father's death, was found hanged in the same woodland. |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission(IPCC) on Tuesday criticised shortcomings in the way police handled Ms Williams' claims of domestic abuse before the shooting and a breakdown in communication between the police and other agencies in caring for Jack as she recovered. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission(IPCC) on Tuesday criticised shortcomings in the way police handled Ms Williams' claims of domestic abuse before the shooting and a breakdown in communication between the police and other agencies in caring for Jack as she recovered. |
| She said: "He was grieving and I needed to know he was receiving all the support available to him, which it is now clear he wasn't. I find it hard to swallow the agencies involved were not in communication with each other.Ms Williams, who was in hospital for a month following the shooting, said she had trusted agencies and family members to make sure Jack was cared for. | She said: "He was grieving and I needed to know he was receiving all the support available to him, which it is now clear he wasn't. I find it hard to swallow the agencies involved were not in communication with each other.Ms Williams, who was in hospital for a month following the shooting, said she had trusted agencies and family members to make sure Jack was cared for. |
| "They should all have known he had been doing things out of character." Ms Williams said Jack changed from a "loving caring boy to someone I no longer recognised." | "They should all have known he had been doing things out of character." Ms Williams said Jack changed from a "loving caring boy to someone I no longer recognised." |
| Ms Williams described her former husband Darren as "a chameleon" and said she was left with no choice but to walk away from their marriage after years of abuse. | Ms Williams described her former husband Darren as "a chameleon" and said she was left with no choice but to walk away from their marriage after years of abuse. |
| She said: "I had supported him for 18 years. I tried to help him, but it was becoming more impossible, due to the combination of anabolic steroids and antidepressants he was taking. For my own sanity and welfare, I could not live with him anymore." | She said: "I had supported him for 18 years. I tried to help him, but it was becoming more impossible, due to the combination of anabolic steroids and antidepressants he was taking. For my own sanity and welfare, I could not live with him anymore." |
| The IPCC concluded there were issues with Gwent police's work with Ms Williams after she told police she had been assaulted by her husband in July 2011. | The IPCC concluded there were issues with Gwent police's work with Ms Williams after she told police she had been assaulted by her husband in July 2011. |
| Its report suggested that if the case had been handled differently, Williams might have been in custody rather than out on bail at the time of the attack. | Its report suggested that if the case had been handled differently, Williams might have been in custody rather than out on bail at the time of the attack. |
| He had been charged with assault but was granted bail by magistrates. The report said that there were alleged breaches of his bail conditions shortly before the shotgun attack: "It is possible that Male Y [Williams] would have been remanded in custody if these breaches had been pursued and evidenced." | He had been charged with assault but was granted bail by magistrates. The report said that there were alleged breaches of his bail conditions shortly before the shotgun attack: "It is possible that Male Y [Williams] would have been remanded in custody if these breaches had been pursued and evidenced." |
| According to the report, on two occasions officers who came into contact with the offender and/or the victim when additional incidents were reported failed to notify the force's serious and violent crime team and the domestic abuse unit. "The evidence indicated officers were not aware of the necessity to do this. They were unaware male Y was classed as a high risk offender and woman L [Ms Williams] a high-risk domestic abuse victim." | According to the report, on two occasions officers who came into contact with the offender and/or the victim when additional incidents were reported failed to notify the force's serious and violent crime team and the domestic abuse unit. "The evidence indicated officers were not aware of the necessity to do this. They were unaware male Y was classed as a high risk offender and woman L [Ms Williams] a high-risk domestic abuse victim." |
| Three constables and one sergeant have been subject to disciplinary action. | Three constables and one sergeant have been subject to disciplinary action. |
| A separate multi-agency report found there were shortcomings in the way police, the local health board and council shared information in the runup to Jack's death. The report said professionals appeared to have "relaxed their focus on the family" after the shooting. | A separate multi-agency report found there were shortcomings in the way police, the local health board and council shared information in the runup to Jack's death. The report said professionals appeared to have "relaxed their focus on the family" after the shooting. |
| It said: "There was a lack of any strategic cross agency planning and no co-ordinated approach was taken to child X [Jack] and crucial information was not shared between the professionals." | It said: "There was a lack of any strategic cross agency planning and no co-ordinated approach was taken to child X [Jack] and crucial information was not shared between the professionals." |
| The report claimed the impact of social media and the use of mobile phones to exchange information, which created tension within the family, was not recognised. | The report claimed the impact of social media and the use of mobile phones to exchange information, which created tension within the family, was not recognised. |
| Gwent police Assistant Chief Constable Simon Prince accepted the case "could have benefited from a more co-ordinated, wider and prolonged response". All agencies said they were taking the conclusions and recommendations on board. | Gwent police Assistant Chief Constable Simon Prince accepted the case "could have benefited from a more co-ordinated, wider and prolonged response". All agencies said they were taking the conclusions and recommendations on board. |
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