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Murdered wife 'scared' of husband, IPCC report finds | |
(35 minutes later) | |
A woman shot dead by her husband had told police she was scared of her estranged husband and that he had been following her, a watchdog has found. | |
Caroline Parry was shot at close range outside her Newport home by husband Christopher Parry in 2013. | Caroline Parry was shot at close range outside her Newport home by husband Christopher Parry in 2013. |
She had contacted Gwent Police twice in the months leading up to her death, raising concerns and asking for help. | She had contacted Gwent Police twice in the months leading up to her death, raising concerns and asking for help. |
The Independent Police Complaints Commission found "weaknesses and shortcomings" in the force's actions. | |
It said the force must improve how it handles domestic abuse, stalking and harassment cases. | |
Christopher Parry was jailed for 26 years in July 2014 for murdering his wife. | Christopher Parry was jailed for 26 years in July 2014 for murdering his wife. |
Mother-of-two Mrs Parry, 49, had left her husband after 27 years of unhappiness and moved in with her new partner, Newport Crown Court heard. | |
But Parry kept his wife "under surveillance" after she left, and in the months leading up to the shooting phoned her persistently. | |
She had contacted Gwent Police twice, asking for help and raising concerns about Parry's behaviour. | She had contacted Gwent Police twice, asking for help and raising concerns about Parry's behaviour. |
'Controlling' | |
On one occasion in May 2013 - three weeks after she had left Parry and their home in Croesyceiliog near Cwmbran - she contacted police to report that he had followed her to a friend's house. | |
Mrs Parry said was scared of him and an officer noted that she "appeared anxious". | |
The IPCC report noted: "She informed the officer that, during their 27 year relationship, her husband had been very jealous, quite controlling and that she was largely unhappy." | |
She also said that, although she did not feel he was capable of hurting her or their children, he had threatened to shoot himself years before. | |
On the morning he killed her, Parry had been waiting for his wife in Seabreeze Avenue, and when he saw her got a semi-automatic shotgun from the boot of his car. | On the morning he killed her, Parry had been waiting for his wife in Seabreeze Avenue, and when he saw her got a semi-automatic shotgun from the boot of his car. |
He shot her twice in the back at close range before turning the gun on himself in a suicide attempt which failed, but resulted in horrific head and facial injuries. | He shot her twice in the back at close range before turning the gun on himself in a suicide attempt which failed, but resulted in horrific head and facial injuries. |
In a report published on Monday, it found that officers who responded to three incidents involving the couple in the run-up to the shooting were not in possession of all relevant information about their past history. | In a report published on Monday, it found that officers who responded to three incidents involving the couple in the run-up to the shooting were not in possession of all relevant information about their past history. |
The IPCC said a risk assessment should have classified Mrs Parry as being at high risk of serious harm. | The IPCC said a risk assessment should have classified Mrs Parry as being at high risk of serious harm. |
The report also found: | |
However, it concluded that despite the shortcomings it is "impossible to say whether Caroline's tragic and brutal death could have been prevented, had Gwent Police dealt differently with Mr Parry". | |
Complaints made | |
The IPCC found that one officer had a case to answer for misconduct, which Gwent Police had already dealt with the matter by way of management action. | |
There were performance issues for two other police constables. | |
Three complaints made to the IPCC about specific actions of some officers involved in the case were not upheld. | |
Gwent Police said it continued to work hard to improve how it handled domestic abuse, stalking and harassment cases. | |
It said all recommendations from the report have already been implemented. | |
A spokesman said: "These will help us improve the information our officers have when responding to incidents of stalking and harassment and consequently how these incidents are dealt with. | |
"The recommendations will ensure appropriate risk assessments are carried out and shared, and also that appropriate checks and markers are placed on individuals who hold firearms licenses." |