www.bbc.co.uk
I dislike the headline greatly. However it appears in this article there was a call about Maxwell and Leah in May 2019.Leah Croucher 'unlawfully killed' by convicted sex offender - BBC News
Coroner Tom Osborne says there were failings by authorities in monitoring suspect Neil Maxwell.
Also, why has no mention been made of mobile phone evidence from NM's phone for proof of location on the day LC died, text messages etc. Will NM's inquest details now be publicly available, after being restricted for so long?
I am still not convinced it was him, if he was using a false name to evade police how would police know what that name was, suppose the Kuwaiti owners said “we gave a set of keys to John Smith” how would police link that to him?
Yes this is what doesn't make sense. If he was using fake name etc. How did they link him to that fake name to know for definite it was him in the property? I feel like there is something else the police are holding back.
www.miltonkeynes.co.uk
Well, if there hadn't been "failures in the monitoring process" this dreadful man would likely have been in custody for the 2018 Newport Pagnell attack and not roaming around where he could get hold of Leah. I'd say that means the failings absolutely contributed to her death.Milton Keynes coroner finds failings ‘may have played part’ in Leah Croucher’s death
‘A number of failings have been found’ which may have played a part in the death of Milton Keynes murder victim Leah Croucher, a coroner has ruled.
A number of failings have been found’ which may have played a part in the death of Milton Keynes victim Leah Croucher’s death, a coroner has ruled. The inquest found there was a failure to monitor the convicted sex offender – who was wanted for a further sex attack in Newport Pagnall in November 2018.
Mr Osborne pointed to an inexperienced probation officer supervising Maxwell, the risk that Neil Maxwell posed to the public generally was underestimated and unreported, a failure in the monitoring process of Neil Maxwell with regards to his attendance at appointments and for him to live at the address he was supposed to live at, a failure in the risk assessment carried out and a failure to properly share information across between police and probation in regards to the "Visor" system.
Visor refers to the Violent and Sex Offender Register.
However, Mr Osborne said these failings, on balance, did not contribute directly to Leah's death. "Whilst there were failings in the monitoring process it remains speculative to say that these failings contributed directly to her death. "I cannot therefore conclude that those failings identified contributed to her death. Although it may be possible that those findings may have played a part in her death."
Leah's death was ruled as an unlawful killing and the cause of death was ruled as unascertained.
I totally agree with your post @Noseyjosie, the failures of the system did lead to the death of Leah and also the sexual assaults on other women by Maxwell. This man was a danger to the public right from the early 2000's but he was allowed to get away with his crimes time and time again.
www.miltonkeynes.co.uk
Additional link from BBC News, which says much the same as the one in the post above. I totally agree that this doesn't constitute something that would jeapordise the LC investigation. JMO, I think there's quite a lot of withheld information in both the LC unlawful death investigation by police and NM's suicide circumstances.This report is from a year ago, 13 June 2023. It's about details of Maxwell's death ''seriously jeopardising'' the murder investigation:
Withheld details are finally released about Leah Croucher murder suspect in Milton Keynes
It was said the details could ‘seriously jeopardise’ the investigation into Leah’s death
Days after the tragic discovery, police named handyman and convicted sex offender Neil Maxwell as the prime suspect in their murder investigation. But there was to be no arrest or trial – for Maxwell had taken his own life in April 2019, two months after Leah vanished.
Last October, immediately after he was declared a suspect, national press requested to see the public record of the inquest into his death, wondering if it would provide any vital clues to connect him with Leah. But, unusually, coroner Tom Osborne refused to release the details, initially promising they would be made public after a few weeks. When November came, he still refused to make them public, saying police believed the release could "seriously jeopardise" the murder investigation.
At the time Mr Osborne said: "I received a request from Det Ch Supt Ian Hunter, who is overseeing the investigation into the death of Leah Croucher, to withhold disclosure of the record of inquest for a further short period of time as it contains information that is sensitive to their continuing investigation, and by releasing that information into the public domain at this stage may seriously jeopardise the investigation. "The presumption in favour of open and transparent justice would normally dictate that I disclose the record of inquest.
"However, I have every reason to believe that disclosure of the document at this stage may seriously compromise and indeed jeopardise the ongoing investigation into the death of Leah Croucher, and for that reason the balance is in favour of not disclosing the document, for the time being, although it is a matter that will be kept under constant review and it will be released at the earliest opportunity. "The risks of compromise to the continuing investigation outweigh the need for disclosure."
The inquest details released this week contain only Maxwell’s name, date and place of birth (9 February 1970 in Bushey, Hertfordshire) and minimum details about his death. His occupation is stated as ‘builder’ and his address as North Street, CMK.
He died on 20 April 2019 and the place of death was recorded as ‘Bike shed, Mainstay Court, Campbell Park’. The cause of death was hanging and the verdict was suicide. The record states: “He left a suicide note.”
Maybe it's just me but, apart from the details of the suicide note, what else about Maxwell's inquest would seriously jeopardise the murder investigation? I cannot fathom out what else it could possibly be? Are they covering up what is in his suicide note?
I Agree Holly AND there was a TVP notice that appealed to anyone who had ever seen Maxwell in MK let alone near the property. I believe I read they found no evidence forensically linking him to the property. If anyone remembers these comments please assist as I can’t find the article.
