Essex Police missed several opportunities to protect a Great Baddow woman murdered in her own home by her former partner, an investigation has found.
A second investigation by the IPCC found the force failed to monitor the escalating risk or to detain Marc Chivers, a convicted killer, before he fatally strangled Maria Stubbings in Pitfield on December 19, 2008. The organisation's first report into the incident was scrapped after inaccuracies were discovered. Read more on our new website, www.essexchronicle.co.uk
Today's report concluded Essex Police "failed to carry out rigorous risk assessment and put safety measures in place" after his release from prison two months before her killing, even after responding to an assault by him in July of that year.
The IPCC also found a case to answer for misconduct against three police officers.
IPCC Commissioner Rachel Cerfontyne said: "The key issue is that the approach taken in July was not sustained, there was no continuity or consideration of ongoing risk.
"It is ironic that Ms Stubbings was offered the most support and protection while Chivers was in prison, when the risk from him was minimal.
"When he was released both she and her son were left completely vulnerable.
"All the risks that were there when Ms Stubbings called the police in July still existed after his release, indeed arguably the risk was even higher, as Chivers had just served several months in prison as a result of her complaint.
"Ms Stubbings was then murdered by Chivers and her son has endured profound and ongoing trauma as a result of his mother's brutal death."
Chivers was convicted of assaulting Ms Stubbings and was jailed for four months but was released immediately in October because he had already served time on remand.
Ms Stubbings reported to Essex Police on December 11, around one week before she was killed that Chivers had burgled her home and stolen her medication.
On 19 December, police visited her home and found her body.
Chivers was also there at the time, and was subsequently convicted of her murder and sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court to life in prison.
He had been sentenced to 15 years in a German jail in 1993 for the murder of a girlfriend in Germany but was deported back to the UK after serving his sentence.
Ms Cerfontyne added: "Essex Police have made improvements in domestic abuse policies and procedures since 2008.
"It is also true that Chivers' previous murder conviction outside the UK reduced the powers available to the police.
"However, in 2008 there were domestic abuse policies and procedures in place and specialist units.
"Knowing of Ms Stubbings' vulnerability and the potentially serious risk posed by Chivers, Essex Police should have been far more proactive in order to try and ensure that Ms Stubbings was protected and her murder prevented."EVENTS THAT LED TO THE MURDERJun 23, 1992: Marc Chivers strangles his girlfriend to death in Germany, bundles her body into the boot of her car and buries her in a forestAug 5, 1992: Ludwigsburg Police issues an international arrest warrant for Marc ChiversAug 15 1992: Chivers is arrested at a hideout in FranceSept 1993: Chivers pleads guilty to manslaughter and is jailed for lifeJan 2008: Marc Chivers is deported to Britain from Germany after serving a life sentenceEarly 2008: Chivers meets Maria Stubbings and they begin a relationshipJuly 17, 2008: Chivers is jailed for four months for an assault on Mrs StubbingsDec 11, 2008: Maria Stubbings calls police saying Chivers broke into her homeDec 15-19, 2008: Maria Stubbings is strangled in her home by Chivers, who hides her bodyDec 18, 2008: Police visit the Pitfield home where Chivers answers the door. There is no sign of Ms StubbingsDec 19, 2008: Officers return to the house and carry out a search, discovering the body. Chivers is arrestedJan 2009: IPCC investigation into the circumstances of Mrs Stubbings' death beginsOct 2009: At Chelmsford Crown Court, Chivers admits murdering Mrs StubbingsDec 4, 2009: Chivers is handed a whole life tariff, joining a notorious list of "whole-life tariff" prisoners, including Moors murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley and Essex mass killer Jeremy Bamber.
He can only be freed on compassionate grounds by the Home Secretary
