Deceased/Not Found UK - Margaret Fleming, 19, Inverclyde, Scotland, 17 Dec 1999 *Guilty*

[Deano saunders]

Major probe into how murdered Margaret Fleming's welfare was handled by social workers

 

[JerricaBenton]

EC was a really horrible piece of work, that came across very clearly. You saw him swear at the pros lawyer as he walked past outside the court.

 

[Antonia]

I think it's more that they knew that the new benefits rules are tighter regarding level of disability/care needed to qualify. They over-egged the pudding to try to make sure they'd get the max amount.

Yes, but I would've thought AJ/EC would realise that what they said would lead to face-to-face assessment. If the claims on the form had been true, they would have proved that AJ & EC were failing to keep Margaret safe. I wonder if the Social Services inquiry will lead to any changes, or checking any other vulnerable people who haven't been seen in years.

 

[Antonia]

I think it's more that they knew that the new benefits rules are tighter regarding level of disability/care needed to qualify. They over-egged the pudding to try to make sure they'd get the max amount.

Yes, but I would've thought AJ/EC would realise that what they said would lead to face-to-face assessment. If the claims on the form had been true, they would have proved that AJ & EC were failing to keep Margaret safe. I wonder if the Social Services inquiry will lead to any changes, or checking any other vulnerable people who haven't been seen in years.

 

[Deano saunders]

Well I think it’s fair to say Margaret was well and truly failed by the system

 

[Taskforce88]

Interesting documentary. I understand that someone with a disability that won't get better over time wouldn't need to keep going to see a doctor for assessment, but surely there would be welfare checks?

 

[PezCandy]

Interesting documentary. I understand that someone with a disability that won't get better over time wouldn't need to keep going to see a doctor for assessment, but surely there would be welfare checks?

strange thing is that they usually do welfare checks, I’m guessing this was a more overlooked case in that area. Really odd.

 

[Antonia]

strange thing is that they usually do welfare checks, I’m guessing this was a more overlooked case in that area. Really odd.

According to this article, the report of the Significant Case Review will be published, so we should find out what went wrong and if any changes will be made.

Major probe into how murdered Margaret Fleming's welfare was handled by social workers

"The council spokesman said: "This will be a full, independent inquiry which will involve all the agencies which were involved with Margaret during her life.
"The final report will be published when it is complete.
"We expect that this will take some six months."

 

[Deano saunders]

New homes to be built on site of Margaret Fleming cottage

 

[jaejae]

New homes to be built on site of Margaret Fleming cottage

Watched the documentary on this case the other night which was interesting here is a BBC report on the same subject as the post above:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-51114045

 

[Taskforce88]

I wonder what or who they were burning in the fire 9 years later.

 

[PezCandy]

I wonder what or who they were burning in the fire 9 years later.

wait.. what do you mean??

 

[Taskforce88]

wait.. what do you mean??

During the trial a local firefighter stated that he could smell burning human tissue when passing by the house in 2008.

 

[PezCandy]

During the trial a local firefighter stated that he could smell burning human tissue when passing by the house in 2008.

Oh my gosh that’s terrible! I didn’t hear of that till you said something. Do you know if that firefighter reported it right away?

 

[Taskforce88]

Oh my gosh that’s terrible! I didn’t hear of that till you said something. Do you know if that firefighter reported it right away?

He mentioned it to his wife at the time but did not notify police. The defence obviously used that against him in the trial.

 

[Littlegreenlady]

I don't know if the fire had been mentioned previously but it was definitely news for me when I watched the documentary. It's all very odd. I'm not saying I disbelieve the fireman - I've read in books that the smell of burning flesh is very distinctive and so I can believe that he would recognise it. I also find it plausible that he thought it strange, but that only when he heard about the case he decided to mention it.

But what I don't get, is what they could have been burning. Surely they wouldn't be burning her body 9-10 years after her disappearance??

So either they hid her body for 9 years, then decided to burn it
She actually lived a further 9 years and they killed her and burned her immediately
Or they were burning something/someone else

Either way, it's really bizarre

 

[CoverMeCagney]

<....>

Or they were burning something/someone else

Shudder. Any missing girls in the area at that time?

 

[CoverMeCagney]

Deleted, not connected (see Taskforces post)

 

[Ironside]

I think it’s very unlikely to be connected, their motivation for killing Margaret was money, I can’t imagine them taking out a woman and child with no gain.

 

[CoverMeCagney]

I think it’s very unlikely to be connected, their motivation for killing Margaret was money, I can’t imagine them taking out a woman and child with no gain.

I do agree. But if the firefighter is correct and he smelled burning human flesh it was somebody, and I really doubt Margaret was alive that long after 1999. We'll probably never know now - forensics didn't find anything conclusive in the garden (but then they've had years to clear up) and the house doesn't exist.

I still think the most likely hiding of Margaret was by boat, weighted down, and into the water.