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| Alice Gross murder file lost in coroner error | Alice Gross murder file lost in coroner error |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| A copy of the police investigation file into the murder of schoolgirl Alice Gross was lost by a coroner. | A copy of the police investigation file into the murder of schoolgirl Alice Gross was lost by a coroner. |
| The senior west London coroner Chinyere Inyama "inadvertently disposed" of a document of evidence against the chief suspect Arnis Zalkalns in November, police said. | |
| The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) tried to recover the file but concluded it had probably been destroyed. | The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) tried to recover the file but concluded it had probably been destroyed. |
| Alice went missing in August and her body was found in a river in September. | Alice went missing in August and her body was found in a river in September. |
| Her family said they were "extremely concerned, bewildered and angry" that highly sensitive information about Alice had been lost. | Her family said they were "extremely concerned, bewildered and angry" that highly sensitive information about Alice had been lost. |
| The force said the search for the missing 14-year-old was the largest investigation it had undertaken since the 7 July 2005 bomb attacks in London. Her body was found in the River Brent on 30 September 2014. | The force said the search for the missing 14-year-old was the largest investigation it had undertaken since the 7 July 2005 bomb attacks in London. Her body was found in the River Brent on 30 September 2014. |
| The body of Arnis Zalkalns, 41, from Latvia, was found on 4 October, decomposed in woodland in west London. | The body of Arnis Zalkalns, 41, from Latvia, was found on 4 October, decomposed in woodland in west London. |
| A post-mortem examination found he died from hanging. | A post-mortem examination found he died from hanging. |
| The following month, a copy of the police file against him was lost. | The following month, a copy of the police file against him was lost. |
| Alice's family said: "We have looked to the police and coroner to help us through our awful loss. Yet now we learn they - either independently or together - have withheld from us the loss of this terribly sensitive information about Alice. | Alice's family said: "We have looked to the police and coroner to help us through our awful loss. Yet now we learn they - either independently or together - have withheld from us the loss of this terribly sensitive information about Alice. |
| "We are extremely concerned, bewildered and angry, and we have asked for a full written explanation as to what exactly happened and why we were not told." | "We are extremely concerned, bewildered and angry, and we have asked for a full written explanation as to what exactly happened and why we were not told." |
| A spokesman for the Met said: "In November 2014 the MPS was informed by HM Coroner, London West, that he had inadvertently disposed of a single document relating to the police evidence against Arnis Zalkalns. | A spokesman for the Met said: "In November 2014 the MPS was informed by HM Coroner, London West, that he had inadvertently disposed of a single document relating to the police evidence against Arnis Zalkalns. |
| "An investigation to recover it was undertaken. This concluded that it was highly likely it had been destroyed as waste." | "An investigation to recover it was undertaken. This concluded that it was highly likely it had been destroyed as waste." |
| Police said details of the evidence against Zalkalns was provided to the media in January with the agreement of the CPS and the coroner. | Police said details of the evidence against Zalkalns was provided to the media in January with the agreement of the CPS and the coroner. |
| The coroner was given the file to assist in his preparations for the inquests into Alice Gross and Zalkalns' deaths. | The coroner was given the file to assist in his preparations for the inquests into Alice Gross and Zalkalns' deaths. |
| The Ministry of Justice said: "This clearly appears to be a troubling incident. A full investigation is now under way." | The Ministry of Justice said: "This clearly appears to be a troubling incident. A full investigation is now under way." |