Parents' plea over Molly McLaren knife murder review

Molly McLaren was a university student with a "bright future", the review said

The parents of a woman who was stabbed to death by an ex-boyfriend have called for police to do more to prevent similar attacks.

Molly McLaren, who was 23, was stabbed 75 times by Joshua Stimpson in Chatham, Kent, in 2017.

A review said it later emerged he had harassed a woman in Staffordshire four years earlier but it had not been recorded as a crime.

Doug and Joanne McLaren called for greater liaison between police forces.

Staffordshire Police has not yet commented.

Mr McLaren said: "If when Joanne and Molly went to Kent Police, they could have tracked down the alleged crime in Staffordshire, it might have thrown a whole new light on things and it might have raised a few alarms.

"Arguably, Molly might still be alive."

Mrs McLaren went to the police with her daughter after Stimpson harassed her on Facebook. She said the company "takes no responsibility at all".

Facebook said it had policies in place to help people who encounter abuse.

Man jailed for ex-girlfriend murder

Joshua Stimpson was convicted of murder and jailed for a minimum of 26 years

Events leading up to Ms McLaren's death

• 17 June 2017 - Ms McLaren ends relationship, but Stimpson harasses her on Facebook

• 22 June - She and her mother go to Kent Police

• 25 June - More Facebook posts follow, prompting them to go back to the police

• 29 June - Stimpson goes to Ms McLaren's gym and kills her in the car park

Domestic Homicide Review report

Their daughter, who was predicted to achieve a first-class honours degree, first made contact with double-glazing salesman Stimpson on the dating app Tinder.

They started a relationship in November 2016, but seven months later, Ms McLaren ended it.

Within two weeks he had killed her.

Mr and Mrs McLaren believe their daughter's life could have been saved

Stimpson used Facebook to try to coerce Ms McLaren into resuming their relationship so she went to Kent Police.

It later emerged he had harassed a woman in 2013, which was reported to Staffordshire Police, and another woman in Kent in 2016, which went unreported.

The review, which set out six recommendations, said the first incident of harassment was not recorded as a crime, although the force's policy now requires stalking to be recorded as such.

"Therefore, Kent Police could not have found out about the Staffordshire Police involvement," it said.

A spokeswoman for Facebook said: "Everyone deserves to feel safe online and we have strict policies in place to help people who encounter abuse and harassment on our platform.

"We work closely with women's safety organisations to inform our policies which has led to changes such as allowing a concerned friend or family member to report suspected harassment.

"Where there is a genuine risk of physical harm or direct threats to safety, we remove content, disable accounts, and work with law enforcement."

A separate Kent Police inquiry is still ongoing.