Sinead Wooding murder: Police response 'appropriate' says watchdog
- Published
The body of Sinead Wooding was discovered by joggers in May 2017
Police response to a 999 call from a woman later found murdered was "appropriate", an inquiry concluded.
The body of Sinead Wooding, 26, was found near Leeds in May last year, days after making the call about threats from husband Akshar Ali.
Ali, 27 of Leeds, was jailed for 22 years for her murder in January.
An Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation, external found West Yorkshire Police call-handlers and officers acted appropriately.
Ms Wooding had been beaten with a hammer, stabbed six times and set alight.
She was attacked in Reginald Mount, Potternewton at the home of Ali's accomplice Yasmin Ahmed. Ahmed was also jailed for 22 years.
Ms Wooding's body was stored in the cellar before being taken at night to Adel Woods, near Leeds, where it was partially destroyed by fire.
The investigating officer said it "was the most horrific and brutal attack" he had seen in almost three decades.
The IOPC looked at the force's response to the emergency call made by Ms Wooding on 10 May 2017 to report receiving malicious calls and texts from her husband.
She was given advice by a call-handler and contacted later that day to confirm she was safe and well.
Officers were sent to her home the following day, in line with force policy, but she wasn't there and did not answer calls to her mobile phone.
On 13 May officers went back and were told by Ali, of Scott Hall Road, Leeds, she was not at home and regularly went missing for days at a time, the IOPC said.
Her body was found by joggers at Alwoodley Crags the following day.
Miranda Biddle, of the IOPC said the investigation concluded "West Yorkshire Police followed all policies and procedures appropriate to the circumstances at the time and did not cause or contribute to Ms Wooding's death".
- Published17 January 2018
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