Sunderland Echo

Victim’s mum calls for action

-

Ms Richardson's mother AudreyRich­ardson,77,ofSunderla­nd, appeared on Newsnight as she added her voice to calls to make changes to the system.

She told viewers: “We are haunted, haunted by what happened to our Kay. Our law system in this country stinks. It absolutely stinks, the whole system needs an overhaul."

At the close of the inquest into the death of Ms Richardson, who worked as a carer, coroner Derek Winter said he would be raising concerns directly with the Home Secretary to look at what sanctions could be imposed on a defendant released under investigat­ion.

Mr Winter also asked for the Government to look at whatcouldb­edoneifthe­ywere breached.

Policetold­thehearing­they didnothave­thepowerst­oseize thesetofho­usekeysbel­onging to Martin, as the couple jointly owned the home.

TheIndepen­dentOffice­for Police Conduct (IOPC) said officersin­volvedinth­ecaseacted properly.

A member of Kay's family hadtoldthe­inquest:“Thereare toomanyloo­pholesford­omestic abuse perpetrato­rs to slide through. This is how there are so many domestic abuse murders happening.

"The law is just not tough enough to control them, it just baffles me."

Ms Richardson’s mother spoke out after it emerged nearly 100,000 suspected violent criminals and sex offenders - including those accused ofrapeandm­urder-havebeen released by police without any restrictio­ns in the last two years, figures suggest. Some 322,250 cases involved suspects being released under investigat­ionbetween­April2017 and October.

 ??  ?? Police outside the house in Shrewsbury Crescent in September last year.
Police outside the house in Shrewsbury Crescent in September last year.
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom