Christie Frewin: Hertfordshire Police officers warned over contact before murder

Christie Frewin had a marker as a high-risk domestic abuse victim

Two police officers have been given final written warnings after an investigation relating to their contact with a woman before her murder.

Christie Frewin, 25, was stabbed by her partner Alex Staines in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, in January 2021.

PCs Gemma Walsh-Beasley and Mike McDermott did not investigate her various allegations of abuse by Staines properly, the police watchdog found.

A Herts Police hearing found the gross misconduct allegations proven.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) found the officers had "failed to adequately investigate allegations of harassment, stalking and assault by Alex Staines".

It also found they failed in their safeguarding of Ms Frewin and her three young children, and had not complied with standard procedures in regard to domestic abuse, the force's panel said.

Alex Staines was on bail for an assault on Ms Frewin in January 2021

Ms Frewin was found dead on 27 January having been stabbed 17 times by Staines, who was 30 at the time and had a warning marker with the relevant authorities for violence.

She had a marker as a high-risk domestic abuse victim.

The previous day, she had called the police after she went to collect their three children from his flat and he refused to allow them to leave.

She made a number of allegations to the four officers who attended that he had sexually assaulted her, stalked and harassed her and had left the children alone in the flat to follow her.

The officers decided not to arrest Staines and allowed the two youngest children to stay at his flat overnight.

Later that evening, an inspector asked that Staines be arrested on the basis of her allegations, but PCs Walsh-Beasley and McDermott, who had attended the initial report, said they did not feel it was necessary to do so and he was not detained.

When Staines returned the children to Ms Frewin the next morning, he forced his way into the house and murdered her.

He was jailed for life in June 2021, and told he must serve a minimum of 22 years before being considered for release.

Police at the scene in Lady Grove, Welwyn Garden City, in January 2021

IOPC regional director Graham Beesley said: "There was information to suggest Mr Staines was an increasing risk to both Ms Frewin and their children, and this information was not effectively reviewed or acted upon.

"They also appeared to take Mr Staines' account of events at face value, where Ms Frewin's account was repeatedly challenged and interrogated."

He added that there was "detailed and comprehensive guidance for attending domestic abuse incidents" but "these officers seemed unaware of it".

Following a hearing organised by the force, the gross misconduct allegations were found proven.

The Hertfordshire force's Assistant Chief Constable Matt Nicholls said the officers "failed to comply with the constabulary's procedures and guidance on attending domestic abuse incidents and in their duty to safeguard Christie".

In a separate investigation by Hertfordshire Police's professional standards department, both officers received further written warnings after they became involved in a physical altercation at a work event arising from an argument about the IOPC probe.

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