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| Joanna Michael murder: Family cannot sue police | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The family of a woman who was murdered by her boyfriend after a 999 delay have been told they cannot sue two police forces for negligence. | |
| Joanna Michael, 25, from St Mellons, Cardiff, rang 999 twice before Cyron Williams stabbed her to death in 2009. | Joanna Michael, 25, from St Mellons, Cardiff, rang 999 twice before Cyron Williams stabbed her to death in 2009. |
| The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) ruled she was failed by South Wales and Gwent Police. | The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) ruled she was failed by South Wales and Gwent Police. |
| The Supreme Court said Ms Michael's family would not be able to proceed with claims against the two forces. | |
| Ms Michael's parents and children won the right to try to bring a claim for damages against both police forces in 2011, but it was thrown out by the Court of Appeal because police officers have immunity from negligence claims. | |
| The family had hoped the Supreme Court would overrule the ruling, but were left disappointed on Wednesday when the justices sitting decided by a 5-2 majority to dismiss the family's appeal. | |
| But the seven justices also unanimously dismissed a cross-appeal by the chief constables of South Wales and Gwent Police. | |
| The forces wanted to block the appeal court judges' linked ruling that the family should be allowed to go ahead with a claim that their Article 2 rights under the European Convention on Human Rights were breached by a police failure to protect Joanna's life. | |
| Jailed for life | Jailed for life |
| On the night of the murder on 5 August 2009, 19-year-old Williams broke into Ms Michael's home and found her with another man. | On the night of the murder on 5 August 2009, 19-year-old Williams broke into Ms Michael's home and found her with another man. |
| She called 999 at 02:29 BST and told the Gwent Police operator Williams was at the house and had threatened to kill her. | She called 999 at 02:29 BST and told the Gwent Police operator Williams was at the house and had threatened to kill her. |
| The call went through to Gwent Police but was passed South Wales, the force covering the area Ms Michael's address. | The call went through to Gwent Police but was passed South Wales, the force covering the area Ms Michael's address. |
| Once transferred, the call should have been graded as requiring an immediate response, but was instead graded at a lower level. | Once transferred, the call should have been graded as requiring an immediate response, but was instead graded at a lower level. |
| When officers had still not arrived, Ms Michael called 999 again at 02:43 BST and was heard screaming before the line went dead. | When officers had still not arrived, Ms Michael called 999 again at 02:43 BST and was heard screaming before the line went dead. |
| Officers arrived at 02:51 BST but in the 22 minutes it took them to respond to her first call. | Officers arrived at 02:51 BST but in the 22 minutes it took them to respond to her first call. |
| The mother of two had been stabbed 72 times. Her children were in the house at the time. | The mother of two had been stabbed 72 times. Her children were in the house at the time. |
| Williams was jailed for life in March 2010 after admitting murder at Cardiff Crown Court. | Williams was jailed for life in March 2010 after admitting murder at Cardiff Crown Court. |