Solihull domestic abuse murders prompt MP's call for more police

Raneem Oudeh (left) and her mother Khaola Saleem died outside Ms Saleem's home in Solihull in 2018

Officers were "systematically removed" from a town where two women were killed while begging police for help, an MP has said.

Julian Knight, MP for Solihull, spoke out after the murders of Raneem Oudeh and Khaola Saleem, who were killed by Ms Oudeh's abusive estranged husband.

Mr Knight has called for a new West Midlands police station in the area following the murders.

Police failures contributed to their deaths, an inquest jury has ruled.

West Midlands Police has apologised to the family for its "shocking failings" in the case.

Mr Knight's comments were made during an urgent question in the House of Commons on Tuesday, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Julian Knight MP for Solihull made a speech in the House of Commons about the deaths of 22-year-old Raneem Oudeh and her mum Khaola Saleem

Ms Oudeh, 22, and her mum Khaola Saleem were stabbed to death outside Mrs Saleem's Solihull home in August 2018.

Janbaz Tarin - Ms Oudeh's abusive former partner - was sentenced to 32 years in prison in December 2018 for the double murder.

In their final hours, Ms Oudeh made six 999 calls after Tarin struck her at a restaurant and followed the pair home, but officers failed to reach them in time.

In the last call, played to a jury at the inquest, Ms Oudeh's screams could be heard as she was attacked by her estranged husband.

Mr Knight said: "I've met Khaola and Raneem's family and seen first-hand their quiet dignity, clear love for one another, and desire to see something good come from their loss.

"Over recent years, the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has systematically removed police officers from Solihull to other parts of the West Midlands despite Solihull paying more than its fair share through the precept."

Mr Knight has called for a higher police presence in his constituency

The urgent question was brought to the House of Commons by Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley Jess Phillips.

At Birmingham coroner's court last week, an inquest into the murders concluded West Midlands Police officers had breached the force's domestic abuse policy on a number of occasions.

PCC Simon Foster said West Midlands Police had acknowledged the murders were "amongst the most shocking and appalling crimes in our region in recent years".

The force accepted that "more could have been done to protect Raneem from the campaign of domestic abuse", he said.

Mr Foster announced plans to work with West Midlands Police to avoid a repetition of such a case and to "tackle violence against women and girls and domestic abuse"