Killer’s behaviour mirrored events of first murder
PROBATION OFFICER TELLS INQUEST HE WAS ‘DRAINED’
A CONVICTED murderer told his probation officer he was “a model citizen” on his release before he went on to stab and then drive his car into a mum-of-six.
Probation officer Andrew Victor was quizzed by the barrister representing some of the family of Janet Scott, 51, of Arnold, who was murdered in January 2018.
On the fourth day of the inquest into her death, further evidence was heard about the way the probation service handled her killer, Simon Mellors, 56, of North Sherwood Street.
Concerns had been raised that Mr Victor did not contact the police when Mrs Scott warned him Mellors was stalking her on four separate occasions in the days leading to her death.
Earlier in the hearing, he admitted he should have done this at the very least.
He also did not raise the alarm when a health professional working with Mrs Scott said Mellors’ had tattooed her name across his chest and asked her to do the same.
The health professional had noted concerns to Mr Victor about Mellors’ “controlling behaviour” and Mrs Scott’s “vulnerable” state of mind.
There were also concerns raised Mr Victor did not move his risk assessment up to high or record the meetings with his manager when Mellors behaviour started to “mirror” the events that led to him committing the first murder.
These included “a relationship breakdown” and “sexual jealousy” after Mrs Scott broke up with him just after Christmas to get back together with her estranged husband.
The court also heard that Mr Victor made no contact with Mrs Scott to enquire about her safety after the relationship ended but relied on the information provided to him by Mellors.
Mellors had been released back into the community on licence after beating and strangling his partner of nine years, Pearl Black, 36, to death at her Bramcote home in 1999.
Mr Victor was his probation officer on his release in 2014, where he had to monitor Mellors and ensure he was not a danger to the public.
Mellors struck up a relationship with Mrs Scott in May 2017, but he could not accept the break up.
He stabbed her twice in the chest at her family home in Nursery Road before driving her into the city centre.
She managed to escape and run to the aid of a council worker before Mellors drove his car into them both, instantly killing her and seriously injuring the council worker.
He killed himself in prison before the case ever went to court.
The court heard how Mellors had done a web search on the days before killing Mrs Scott, which read “what are the chances of dying from being stabbed once”.
Mr Victor blamed his workload on why some of the “oversights” were made.
He told the court: “It was a common theme in team meetings. In summer 2017, I spoke to my then manager and explained that I was drained, overwhelmed - and that I was missing things and felt vulnerable.”
The court heard how he had “limited” knowledge of the domestic violence policy which was linked to his client, Mellors.
When asked “should you have been allocated this case at all?” he said: “Looking at the policy, no. However, I am an experienced probation officer and had training around safeguarding.”
The barrister said: “The clingy behaviour, the tattoo, the pressure to get a tattoo and this intensity - these were mirroring the actions towards Pearl Black before her murder?”
Mr Victor said: “I think that is a valid point but I didn’t know enough about the build-up to the previous offence to compare. That is certainly a valid point.”
He was asked “was Mellors wearing a mask to distract you to the increased risk he posed to Janet?”
He said: “I think that is selfevident. He was presenting a front that he wanted me to see as lots of people do.” The inquest continues.
I told my manager I was drained, overwhelmed - and I was missing things. Andre Victor