Sussex Police have formally apologised for failings in its initial investigation into the murders of nine-year-old girls Nicola Fellows and Karen Hadaway in 1986.
The force has also apologised for the wrongful arrest of Barrie Fellows, the father of Nicola, in a connected investigation in 2009.
The schoolgirls were sexually assaulted and strangled in Brighton woodland by paedophile Russell Bishop, who was 20 at the time.
The killings became known as the “Babes in the Wood” murders after the children’s tale with the same name.
Bishop was acquitted at the end of his first trial in December 1987 due to weaknesses in the case presented by police and prosecutors, and lies told by his ex-girlfriend, who was later jailed for perjury.
His acquittal left him free to kidnap, molest and throttle a seven-year-old girl before leaving her for dead at Devil’s Dyke, a valley in the South Downs, Sussex, in February 1990.
Chief Constable of Sussex Police Jo Shiner led an internal review following complaints made by the families in the wake of Bishop’s eventual conviction in 2018.
Following the end of the review, she met with the families to apologise for both the failings in the 1986 investigation and the wrongful arrest of Mr Fellows.
Details of the review have not been released at the request of the families, according to Sussex Police.
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Nicola and Karen’s relatives fought for justice for more than 30 years before Bishop was finally jailed in 2018.
His retrial was based on fresh forensic evidence as part of a prosecution made possible under reformed double jeopardy laws.
During his second trial Bishop tried to cast suspicion on Nicola’s father.
Mr Fellows had been arrested by Sussex Police on suspicion of sharing indecent images in 2009, but the force confirmed on Wednesday that there was no evidence he had done anything wrong.
The officers who arrested him were not aware that the allegations had already been investigated and dismissed in 1988.
Police pay tribute to families’ ‘strength and dignity’
In a statement issued after she had apologised to both families, Ms Shiner said: “The murders of Karen and Nicola were horrific crimes which rocked the local community, and still resonate today.
“The impact on the community, however, pales into insignificance against the lifelong impact these crimes had on Karen and Nicola’s parents and families.
“Not only did they have to cope with the loss of two children in the worst possible circumstances; following Bishop’s acquittal in 1987, they campaigned tirelessly to ensure that their children received some justice, and Bishop was finally convicted in 2018.
“Throughout the years, the families have continued to engage constructively with Sussex Police and I pay tribute to their strength, their determination and their dignity.”
The chief constable said she “formally and personally” apologised to both families in person for the failings in the initial investigation.
She added: “I have further apologised to Nicola’s father, Barrie Fellows, for his unjustified arrest in 2009 and for the distress and the long-lasting impact this had on him and his family.
“I make it clear now. Barrie should not have been arrested. There was, and remains, no evidence of any wrongdoing on his part.”
Mr Fellows was made a ‘public scapegoat’
In a statement issued through Sussex Police following the force’s apology, the families said: “This two-fold apology from Sussex Police is very much welcomed by both our families.
“It will help with our reconciliation of aspects that we had never fully understood, things that we always suspected but had never been addressed.
“There are still more answers to be sought in relation to the 1987 failures, but the part that Sussex Police had to play in the initial miscarriages of justice has now been answered and we appreciate the open and authentic way our apologies have been delivered.
“We are particularly relieved that Nicola’s father, Barrie Fellows, has also been fully vindicated of any wrongdoing. Barrie was made a public scapegoat whilst his life and that of his family, was already in pieces.
“This apology from Sussex Police for his wrongful arrest will help him to finally move forward with his life. His name has rightfully and properly been cleared.”
A man believed to be the victim after human remains were found in a Salford nature reserve has been named as Stuart Everett.
Police said DNA samples had been sent for urgent analysis to formally confirm the victim’s identity.
Mr Everett, 67, lived in the local area.
A major investigation started after a torso wrapped in plastic was found at Kersal Dale Wetlands on 4 April.
More remains were discovered at the weekend in the Greater Manchester area – at Blackleach Reservoir and Colliery Wood, and on Monday in an alleyway in Eccles.
Police said they were confident they all belong to the same person.
Michal Jaroslaw Polchowski, 68, and Marcin Majerkiewicz, 42, from Eccles, were yesterday charged with murder.
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They are due to appear at Manchester Crown Court this morning.
The discovery of the torso four weeks ago – consisting of the bottom of the back, buttocks and thigh – prompted a large search for other remains to try to identify the victim.
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Detective Superintendent Lewis Hughes said Mr Everett’s family was being supported by specially-trained officers.
“On behalf of Stuart’s loved ones, I ask the public and the press to please respect their wishes for peace and privacy while they process this most devastating news,” he said.
“My officers and detectives, alongside additional resources from across the force, have worked tirelessly over the last three days to secure charges.”
Mr Hughes thanked the public for their help and said police would leave no stone unturned “to find answers for Stuart’s family”.
A critical incident has been declared near a Tube station in northeast London after reports a man wielding a sword attacked members of the public and police officers.
The man, alleged to have been carrying a sword, crashed a vehicle into a house in Thurlow Gardens, before reportedly stabbing a number of people, police said.
The 36-year-old was alleged to have attacked members of the public and two police officers before eventually being arrested.
The Metropolitan Police were alerted to the incident shortly before 7am this morning.
Fire and rescue crews as well as a number of ambulances were also dispatched to the scene.
The condition of those injured isn’t currently known and officers are not looking for anymore suspects.
Hainault Tube station in Ilford has been closed by police after the incident.
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Home Secretary James Cleverly said he was being updated about the incident and extended his thoughts to those affected.
Wes Streeting, the MP for Ilford North, wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: “A critical incident has been declared in Hainault.
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“There are station and road closures in place. The police, ambulance service and fire brigade are responding.”
Police said the attack did not appear to be terror related.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Ade Adelekan added: “This must have been a terrifying incident for those concerned.
“I know the wider community will be feeling shock and alarm.
“People will want to know what has happened and will we provide more information as soon as we can.”
The Metropolitan Police previously said: “Police are at an incident in the Hainault area.
“Please follow the instructions of police officers on the ground.
“A man has been arrested.”
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A former police constable who filmed his estranged wife having sex with a colleague in a Screwfix car park has avoided jail.
Gavin Harper, 45, was described as “obsessed” in court and was convicted of stalking his estranged wife, who was also a police officer.
He caught Stephanie Glynn, 40, having sex with her colleague Andrew McLullich, 42, in the car park of a Screwfix, in Birkenhead, Merseyside, after he placed a tracker on her vehicle.
Harper, from Liscard, Wirral, crept up to the vehicle and started filming at the window with his mobile phone.
Prosecutors said this was the culmination of a campaign of “obsessive, intrusive and unwanted behaviour” against Ms Glynn that lasted from December 2020 to February 2021.
The father of two was found guilty by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court last month of aggravated stalking, including secretly bugging Ms Glynn’s car, listening in on her conversations, and tracking her whereabouts.
On Monday, Judge David Potter sentenced Harper to two years in jail, suspended for two years.
The judge said that Harper would have faced immediate imprisonment but for the significant impact this would have had on his elderly parents and youngest son.
The court heard Harper cared for his elderly parents, who would “not be able to cope” without him, and his son would have been forced to give up his university studies if he was jailed.
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Harper and Ms Glynn were in a six-year relationship before they married in 2018, having met working at Merseyside Police.
However, Ms Glynn left their family home in December 2020 after she became close with Mr McLullich – an acting inspector and formerly her supervising sergeant.
Speaking in court, Harper claimed he wanted “undeniable proof” of the affair. His intention, he said, was to pass the video to police as evidence of two serving officers having an inappropriate relationship during the COVID lockdown restrictions.
Judge Potter told Harper: “I am sure you became obsessed to the point of criminality in stalking Stephanie Glynn to provide evidence of her affair to weaponise that against her for having that affair, and you also became determined to destroy the career of Andrew McLullich.
“In that obsession the feelings, embarrassment and pain felt by Stephanie Glynn were collateral damage.
“You were more concerned about your own feelings and a raging sense of injustice.”
The judge said the events in Screwfix car park “do no credit to any of the people involved”.
Suzanne Payne, defending, said Harper’s behaviour against Ms Glynn was “out of character and borne out of the circumstances at that time”.
She added that Ms Glynn had received a written warning over her conduct in the car park.
Ms Glynn, now divorced, was said to have been left “sickeningly anxious” as a result of Harper’s stalking, and told the jury she now “constantly looked over her shoulders”.
The judge issued Harper with a seven-year restraining order from contacting or approaching Ms Glynn and Mr McLullich.
Harper must also perform 200 hours of unpaid work and complete 20 days of rehabilitation.
The Crown offered no evidence over an allegation that Harper unlawfully wounded Mr McLullich in the Screwfix car park after jurors could not reach a verdict on that charge.