Costessey deaths: Norfolk police chief to be 'held to account'

Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, a woman, 36, and two children were found dead by police officers in Costessey, near Norwich, on Friday

The police commissioner for Norfolk says he will be holding the force "robustly" to account over the deaths of four members of the same family.

Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, a woman, 36, and two children were found dead by police officers in Costessey on Friday.

It has since emerged a man inside the house called 999 more than hour before police arrived at the scene.

Norfolk 's Chief Constable Paul Sanford said the force had a "good and robust response" to emergency calls.

It came after Norfolk's Police and Crime Commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie, who oversees the county's police force, said people must be able to "depend" on the 999 system.

The four people were discovered in a house in Allan Bedford Crescent after police forced their way in at about 07:00 GMT following a further call from a concerned member of the public.

Police and Crime Commissioner Giles Orpen-Smellie said people must be able to "depend" on the 999 system

Home Office post-mortem examinations found the woman died as a result of stab wounds to the neck while Mr Kuczynski died as a result of a single stab wound to the neck.

The bodies of the two girls will be examined on Wednesday.

Mr Orpen-Smellie said: "I would like to express my heartfelt condolences to all those who have been affected by what has happened.

"I would like to assure the residents of Norfolk that, on their behalf, I will be holding the chief constable to account robustly for the actions of his officers and staff.

"The Independent Office for Police Conduct [IOPC] will investigate what took place.

"I am clear that the residents of Norfolk must be able to depend on the effective working of the 999 system."

Officers remained in Allan Bedford Crescent, Queen's Hills, Costessey, near Norwich, on Monday

Norfolk Constabulary has referred itself to the IOPC over prior contact with the family at the property in December, in relation to a missing person inquiry.

The force confirmed that investigation would now be re-examined.

On Saturday, it emerged the force had received a 999 call at 06:00 from Mr Kuczynski. This has also been referred to the IOPC for investigation.

'Very tragic outcome'

Chief Constable Sanford told the BBC he could not disclose the nature of the call while the investigation was ongoing.

"It is important that that investigation identifies any culpability if it does exist and comes to the right outcome," he said.

"I believe we have a good and robust response to 999 calls in this force.

"Of course, we look so carefully at this incident because of the very tragic outcome, but I am confident that we provide the service the public would expect."

Mr Sanford said his force had not yet adopted the new Right Care, Right Person policy, which aims to send health professionals rather than police officers to incidents where mental health is suspected of being an issue.