Four Metropolitan Police officers under investigation after two women killed by same predator

Carl Cooper was jailed for beingness successful July for the murders of Naomi Hunte, 41, who was stabbed successful the chest, and Fiona Holm, 48, whose assemblage has ne'er been found

Four Metropolitan Police officers are facing a misconduct probe pursuing the murders of 2 women by a antheral they had antecedently reported to the force. Carl Cooper, 66, was sentenced to beingness imprisonment successful July for the killings of Naomi Hunte, 41, who suffered a fatal chest stab wound, and Fiona Holm, 48, whose assemblage remains undiscovered.

Both victims had been romantically progressive with handyman Cooper astatine antithetic times and had reported his convulsive behaviour to the police. The Met Police confirmed connected Wednesday that 4 of its officers were being investigated for misconduct relating to a ailment Ms Holm made against Cooper for assault successful April 2023, arsenic initially reported by The Times newspaper.

Despite being arrested, Cooper was not charged pursuing the attack, the unit admitted. Ms Holm, from southbound eastbound London, is thought to person died astir 2 months aboriginal connected June 20 2023.

A reappraisal into the handling of Ms Holm's ailment concluded that a much broad probe could person identified cardinal witnesses, perchance providing beardown grounds for a prosecution against Cooper without the victim's testimony. During the execution trial, Woolwich Crown Court heard that Ms Hunte, recovered stabbed to decease connected her sofa successful southbound eastbound London connected Valentine's Day 2022, had made respective home callouts to constabulary successful 2020 and 2021, informing them that Cooper was "obsessed" with her.

In a constabulary call-out to her location connected June 29 2021, she told officers that Cooper "stalks maine and I'm truly frightened now".

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Met Police Commander Paul Brogden expressed his heavy regret implicit the handling of the case, saying: "Our thoughts volition ever stay with Naomi Hunte and Fiona Holm, and we again widen our sincere condolences to their families arsenic they proceed to grieve for these 2 beloved women.

"We person ever been wide that we made mistakes erstwhile dealing with allegations against Carl Cooper. For those mistakes we are highly sorry."

He added: "These matters are presently the taxable of respective reviews led by the Met's directorate of nonrecreational standards. A elder serviceman from Lewisham met with Fiona's household to sermon the reappraisal of the missing idiosyncratic probe and I would similar to repetition our nonstop and unequivocal apology for the mode they were treated erstwhile they reported her missing.

"It is simply a substance of enduring regret that we did not person capable grounds to complaint Cooper sooner for the execution of Naomi. Cooper has inactive not revealed the determination of Fiona's body. We proceed our enquiries to find her truthful that her household tin yet laic her to rest."

In July, during Cooper's sentencing, Mr Justice Johnson condemned the murderer, stating helium was convinced Cooper had been a "great information to women" passim his beingness and highlighted his "history of acting successful controlling and coercive mode to your pistillate partners".

The lawsuit remains nether adjacent introspection arsenic 4 officers look probe regarding Ms Hunte's April 2023 GBH complaint.

The Met stated that the lawsuit was referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which advised it should beryllium a section investigation. However, the watchdog volition reappraisal its findings.