Denise Rosser murder: Police acted 'appropriately'

Denise Rosser was repeatedly assessed as "high risk" in the years preceding her death

A woman who was murdered by her partner was not failed by a police force, an Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) investigation has found.

South Wales Police responded to a number of domestic abuse incidents at Michelle "Denise" Rosser's home in Bedlinog, Merthyr Tydfil, before she was killed in May 2018.

Her partner Simon Winstone, 50, was found guilty of her murder in December.

The IOPC found police officers had complied with policies and procedures.

It also found the incidents had been appropriately prioritised, resourced and progressed.

Simon Winstone was jailed for a minimum of 18 years for the murder

The force had a long history of contact with Ms Rosser, 38, who was repeatedly assessed as "high risk" in the years leading to her death.

On 29 May 2018 she was found dead with "catastrophic injuries" including 28 rib fractures, a ruptured kidney and injuries to her head, chest and stomach.

Winstone claimed someone else had killed her while he slept in the same room as her.

Ms Rosser pictured some years ago

In a statement the IOPC said: "We found no evidence that any officer breached the standards of professional behaviour but found a performance issue for one call-handler who wrongly directed a welfare call to Gwent Police, as Bedlinog is on the border of the two forces.

"We also found some slight areas for improvement in relation to officers' record-keeping and how they completed a DASH risk assessment."

Its director for Wales Catrin Evans said: "My thoughts remain with Ms Rosser's family and friends following her tragic death.

"We carried out a thorough investigation and found no evidence officers breached the standards expected of them during their handling of a number of domestic abuse incidents prior to Ms Rosser's murder."