‘Police failings’ left man free to kill 2nd partner
Families’ 6-year fight for justice
A FAMILY who fought a six-year battle over their daughter’s death finally saw justice yesterday as her killer was caged for murder.
Susan Nicholson’s relatives nailed chef Robert Trigg for her death in 2011 and that of another girlfriend, Caroline Devlin, in 2006 after police investigations failed.
Susan’s family spent much of their life savings on experts, who found fresh evidence and forced Sussex Police into reopening the two cases.
The force has apologised to both families.
However, their failings in Caroline’s case meant Trigg was free to kill Susan just five years later.
Evil Trigg, 52, blew out his cheeks as a Lewes crown court jury convicted him of the murder of Susan, 52, and the manslaughter of mum-offour Caroline, 35, five years earlier.
They rejected his claim both woman just happened to die in their sleep during a night with him. When Susan was found dead at home, Trigg was arrested, but insisted he rolled on top of Susan while drunk, suffocating her.
A coroner ruled it was an accident, despite police being called to their flat six times during their explosive relationship and Trigg being cautioned for beating Susan just two days before she died. Her dad, Peter Skelton, 82, said: “The police should have done more at the start. It wasn’t up to standard, their first investigation. They wouldn’t listen to us.”
Caroline had also been found dead after a night with Trigg – and her death was ruled to be from “natural causes”. New evidence found she had been hit and died of a bleed to the brain. Her son Brandyn McKenna, 24, said: “Finally, 11 years on, we have justice for mum.”
Det Supt Tanya Jones, of Sussex Police, said two probes were taking place into the force’s failings. Trigg, of Worthing, West Sussex, will be sentenced today.
Police should have done more from the start. They would not listen PETER SKELTON FATHER OF MURDERED SUSAN