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Alice Gross's family press for inquiry, saying they 'just want answers' Alice Gross's family press for inquiry, saying they 'just want answers'
(about 4 hours later)
The family of murdered schoolgirl Alice Gross have told a coroner they “just want answers” about whether UK authorities knew about her killer’s homicidal past.The family of murdered schoolgirl Alice Gross have told a coroner they “just want answers” about whether UK authorities knew about her killer’s homicidal past.
Arnis Zalkalns, a builder from Latvia, killed 14-year-old Alice last August before weighing down her body on a river bed in west London. Zalkalns then took his own life.Arnis Zalkalns, a builder from Latvia, killed 14-year-old Alice last August before weighing down her body on a river bed in west London. Zalkalns then took his own life.
He had been allowed into Britain in 2007 despite a previous conviction in Latvia for murdering his wife and concealing her body.He had been allowed into Britain in 2007 despite a previous conviction in Latvia for murdering his wife and concealing her body.
Rajeev Thacker, the lawyer for Alice’s family, told West London coroner’s court on Monday morning that there was a wide public interest in investigating whether UK authorities knew Zalkalns was a convicted killer. Rajeev Thacker, the lawyer for Alice’s family, told West London coroner’s court on Monday morning that there was a wide public interest in investigating whether “the state and its agencies” may have had some responsibility for the schoolgirl’s death.
“We have somebody who has a criminal record and systems seem to have been in place. We don’t know how they were used. Alice’s family want to know and I suspect there is a wider public interest in knowing for the future,” he said.“We have somebody who has a criminal record and systems seem to have been in place. We don’t know how they were used. Alice’s family want to know and I suspect there is a wider public interest in knowing for the future,” he said.
Thacker said an inquiry should also discover whether the Metropolitan police carried out checks on Zalkalns in 2007, when he arrived in the UK, and whether he was subject to supervision under multi-agency public protection arrangements (MAPPA), which comprises the police, probation service and other authorities. Thacker said an inquiry should also discover whether the Metropolitan police carried out checks on Zalkalns in 2007, when he arrived in the UK, and whether he was subject to supervision under multi-agency public protection arrangements (Mappa), which comprises the police, probation service and other authorities.
“We suspect that because those checks weren’t carried out things such as MAPPA weren’t relevant but what they are relevant [to] is what could’ve happened and what happens now,” he said. “We suspect that because those checks weren’t carried out things such as Mappa weren’t relevant but what they are relevant [to] is what could’ve happened and what happens now,” he said.
Alice’s mother Ros Hodgkiss and father José Gross were in court for the hearing before coroner Chinyere Inyama. Alice’s sister, Nina, sat alongside a family friend in the public gallery in the small courtroom near Chelsea Harbour in west London.Lawyers for the Home Office and the Metropolitan police said they did not accept responsibility for Alice’s death, but that they would not challenge calls for a wider inquiry. Alice’s mother, Ros Hodgkiss, and father, José Gross, were in court for the hearing before coroner Chinyere Inyama. Alice’s sister, Nina, sat alongside a family friend in the public gallery in the small courtroom near Chelsea Harbour in west London.
Alice’s family want an investigation into whether British authorities breached their obligations under the European convention on human rights and whether European Union countries shared information on highly dangerous offenders. Article 2 of the ECHR protects the right to life.
Outside court, Thacker told reporters that Alice’s family wanted to know whether there was a communications breakdown between the Home Office and Scotland Yard, and whether anything had changed as a result of Alice’s death.
“What’s the system between the Home Office and the police, because the Home Office may have information they may not communicate to the police or vice-versa – we don’t know,” he said.
Asked whether there should be an Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) investigation into the case, he declined to answer: “Should there be? I think that’s a question for the IPCC rather than us.”
Lawyers for the Home Office and the Metropolitan police said they did not accept responsibility for Alice’s death, but that they would not challenge calls for a wider inquiry.
“I can completely understand why the family want answers to these questions,” said Vincent Williams for the Metropolitan police.“I can completely understand why the family want answers to these questions,” said Vincent Williams for the Metropolitan police.
Inyama said he would decide whether to open a wider inquiry within 21 days.Inyama said he would decide whether to open a wider inquiry within 21 days.
In 2009, Zalkalns was arrested by the Metropolitan police over an alleged indecent assault of a 14-year-old girl in west London. It is not known whether British police knew of his murder conviction during that investigation. That case was dropped, police say, after the girl declined to make a statement.Setting out the family’s concerns, Thacker said they wanted to know what supervision Zalkalns was under upon being released from his seven-year jail term in Latvia. Alice’s family said they were disappointed not to get an answer on Monday about the scope of the inquiry, but that they were “encouraged that the coroner is clearly committed to investigating the systems affecting public safety in this case”.
They also want to know whether Zalkalns was checked against a Home Office “warning index” known as the UK central authority for the exchange of criminal records. In 2009, Zalkalns was arrested by the Metropolitan police over an alleged indecent assault of a 14-year-old girl in west London. It is not known whether British police knew of his murder conviction during that investigation. That case was dropped, police say, after the girl declined to make a statement.
“The question is was there a check on Mr Zalkalns when he came in [to the UK], which of course we don’t know,” he said. Outside court, Emma Norton, a solicitor from Liberty, which is acting on behalf of the family, said that without a full inquiry an inquest just would “simply be unable to say what went wrong” before Alice’s murder.
“The important issues are: what was known or ought to have been know about Arnis Zalkalns when he travelled to the UK in 2007, and what the authorities could and should have done when Zalkalns was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a teenager in 2009,” she said.
“The family also think it’s important that this case is heard with a jury. The public must be able to express its view on these important issues. The family have nothing further to add at this time.”
Thacker told the coroner that the family wanted to know whether Zalkalns was checked against a Home Office “warning index” and the UK central authority for the exchange of criminal records.
“The question is: was there a check on Mr Zalkalns when he came in [to the UK], which of course we don’t know,” he said.
Thacker stressed that Zalkalns’ nationality was immaterial to the family’s concerns. “It doesn’t matter whether or not the person they suspect that killed Alice was Latvian, Australian, British – they would be concerned whether it was a British citizen or a British citizen abroad,” he said. “They are absolutely clear that it’s not about nationality. They just want answers.”Thacker stressed that Zalkalns’ nationality was immaterial to the family’s concerns. “It doesn’t matter whether or not the person they suspect that killed Alice was Latvian, Australian, British – they would be concerned whether it was a British citizen or a British citizen abroad,” he said. “They are absolutely clear that it’s not about nationality. They just want answers.”
Zalkalns avoided facing justice for Alice’s death by killing himself and his body was found by police days after they had recovered the girl’s body following a wide-ranging search lasting weeks.Zalkalns avoided facing justice for Alice’s death by killing himself and his body was found by police days after they had recovered the girl’s body following a wide-ranging search lasting weeks.
Scotland Yard has said there was enough evidence to have charged Zalkalns had he lived and the probable motive for his crime was sexual.Scotland Yard has said there was enough evidence to have charged Zalkalns had he lived and the probable motive for his crime was sexual.
Alice was last seen on 28 August 2014 after going for a walk. Police believe Zalkalns came across Alice during her final walk along a canal towpath.Alice was last seen on 28 August 2014 after going for a walk. Police believe Zalkalns came across Alice during her final walk along a canal towpath.
One week later, Zalkalns, 41, was reported missing from his west London home.One week later, Zalkalns, 41, was reported missing from his west London home.
After a month of searches, Alice’s body was recovered from the Brent river on 30 September, after it had been deliberately weighed down by parts of a tree trunk.After a month of searches, Alice’s body was recovered from the Brent river on 30 September, after it had been deliberately weighed down by parts of a tree trunk.
On 4 October, Zalkalns’s body was found hanging from a tree in dense woodland in Boston Manor park, west London.On 4 October, Zalkalns’s body was found hanging from a tree in dense woodland in Boston Manor park, west London.