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Milly Dowler police 'amnesia' over phone hack claims | Milly Dowler police 'amnesia' over phone hack claims |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Surrey Police's handling of the Milly Dowler murder inquiry has been criticised for failing to check claims the schoolgirl's voicemail was hacked. | |
A watchdog has accused senior officers of having "collective amnesia" when questioned about why they did not investigate. | |
The Independent Police Complaints Commission did not discover who decided not to pursue the claims. | |
Milly, 13, disappeared in March 2002, as she walked home in Surrey. | |
Surrey Police acknowledged it should have revisited the hacking allegations. | |
The findings follow an investigation into the conduct of two senior officers, Deputy Chief Constable Craig Denholm and Det Supt Maria Woodall. | |
'Surprise and dismay' | 'Surprise and dismay' |
The IPCC concluded that neither were guilty of misconduct. Surrey Police said it had taken "management action and issued words of advice" to both. | The IPCC concluded that neither were guilty of misconduct. Surrey Police said it had taken "management action and issued words of advice" to both. |
IPCC deputy chair Deborah Glass said: "Phone hacking was a crime and this should have been acted upon, if not in 2002, then later, once the News of the World's widespread use of phone hacking became a matter of public knowledge and concern. | IPCC deputy chair Deborah Glass said: "Phone hacking was a crime and this should have been acted upon, if not in 2002, then later, once the News of the World's widespread use of phone hacking became a matter of public knowledge and concern. |
"Our investigation has heard from officers and former officers from Surrey Police who have expressed surprise and dismay that it wasn't investigated. | "Our investigation has heard from officers and former officers from Surrey Police who have expressed surprise and dismay that it wasn't investigated. |
"We have not been able to uncover any evidence, in documentation or witness statements, of why and by whom that decision was made: former senior officers, in particular, appear to have been afflicted by a form of collective amnesia in relation to the events of 2002. | "We have not been able to uncover any evidence, in documentation or witness statements, of why and by whom that decision was made: former senior officers, in particular, appear to have been afflicted by a form of collective amnesia in relation to the events of 2002. |
"This is perhaps not surprising, given the events of 2011 and the public outcry that the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone produced." | "This is perhaps not surprising, given the events of 2011 and the public outcry that the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone produced." |
The lawyer who represents the Dowlers, Mark Lewis said "the family are pleased that the IPCC have investigated this issue". | |
He added: "This was not the finest hour of the Surrey Police force." | |
Levi Bellfield was given a whole-life jail term after being found guilty of abducting and killing Milly as she walked home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in March 2002. | |
The now defunct News of the World admitted hacking the 13-year-old's mobile phone but it remains unknown whether two missing messages were deleted deliberately, as previously suggested, or were removed from her message box automatically. | The now defunct News of the World admitted hacking the 13-year-old's mobile phone but it remains unknown whether two missing messages were deleted deliberately, as previously suggested, or were removed from her message box automatically. |
The revelation that Milly Dowler's voicemail had been hacked led to public outrage over British media ethics, and led to News International closing the Sunday tabloid in 2011. | The revelation that Milly Dowler's voicemail had been hacked led to public outrage over British media ethics, and led to News International closing the Sunday tabloid in 2011. |
Prime Minister David Cameron announced the setting up of Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into press standards and practices as a consequence of the phone-hacking scandal. | Prime Minister David Cameron announced the setting up of Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into press standards and practices as a consequence of the phone-hacking scandal. |