Failed by the police
WE have nothing but praise for Elizabeth and Peter Skelton, the parents of double killer Robert Trigg’s second victim.
Their dogged determination to bring Trigg to justice saw him convicted of the 2011 murder of their daughter, Susan Nicholson.
Had the police been as thorough in their investigation into the 2006 death of Caroline Devlin, Trigg’s first victim, it is conceivable that Susan would still be alive today.
The court verdict raises serious, potentially damaging, questions for the police.
We praise them when they respond brilliantly, as they did recently after terrorist attacks. But they must never be above scrutiny when errors appear to have been made.
It does seem frighteningly odd that, twice, women died and, twice, police investigations wrongly found nothing suspicious.
We do not want to live in a country where the bereaved are forced to spend a fortune and most of their time to bring criminals to justice.
Having said that, we should be thankful for the likes of Elizabeth and Peter Skelton.
THE elderly couple who battled to bring their daughter’s murderer to justice have been hailed by a judge.
Mrs Justice Simler said Peter and Elizabeth Skelton had “fought doggedly and continuously” to get police to reinvestigate Robert Trigg over daughter Susan Nicholson’s death.
Unemployed Trigg murdered Ms Nicholson, 52, five years after he killed mum-of-four Caroline Devlin, 35.
Jailing Trigg, 52, for life with a minimum term of 25 years at Lewes crown court, Mrs Justice Simler said: “Mr and Mrs Skelton, have fought doggedly and continuously since their daughter’s death for the police to re-investigate her death, classified as non-suspicious and accidental at the time.” Foul play was initially ruled out following both deaths in Worthing, West Sussex, and Trigg was treated as a bereaved partner. But the Skeltons, now in their 80s, refused to accept the inquest verdict in 2011. And Mr Skelton last night said: “Sussex Police did a disgraceful job. We are very angry we had to take matters into our own hands. We want answers.” The force has launched a probe.