Lancashire Police under fire over Nicola Bulley probed for 'negligence' in Kiena Dawes' domestic violence case
LYTHAM ST ANNES, LANCASHIRE: A police officer from the same department that is being criticized for how it handled the Nicola Bulley case has been charged with grave negligence in connection with a different case. A police watchdog is looking into how the anonymous Lancashire police officer handled accusations of domestic abuse made by the 23-year-old mother Kiena Dawes before she sadly died by suicide last July.
Dawe's family said Lancashire Police had "let her down" after reporting she had experienced domestic abuse and was afraid of her ex-partner, reports The Sun. The police watchdog claimed that an officer is currently under investigation because a man was granted bail after being arrested on suspicion of assaulting the mother just 11 days before she tragically died by suicide. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) revealed the unnamed officer has now been served with a notice that he or she may be subject to misconduct proceedings even though the inquiry is still underway.
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'Officer served notice for gross misconduct'
An IOPC spokesperson stated, "Our investigation into prior contact between Lancashire Constabulary and Kiena Dawes, before her death on July 22, 2022, continues. We have been looking at the police response when Dawes was reported missing, as well as reports that she had been the victim of assaults," reports Daily Mail. He added, "Having obtained and reviewed a number of statements from witnesses, to understand the nature of the contact between officers and Dawes, an officer has been served notice for gross misconduct in relation to their actions leading up to a man being released on bail earlier in July last year. This does not necessarily mean that misconduct proceedings will follow." The spokesperson also extended his sympathy to Dawes' family, saying, "Our thoughts remain with Dawes' loved ones and all those affected by her death."
The police department is already facing heavy criticism about how it handled the Nicola Bulley investigation, which has prompted calls for an independent inquiry. Many criticized the force for revealing the details of Bulley's personal issues at a news conference, leading to claims that her privacy had been violated throughout the inquiry.
What happened to Kiena Dawes?
Kiene Dawes, a 23-year-old woman, was reported missing on July 22, 2022, after leaving her nine-month-old daughter, Marnie, with a close friend. Her brother Kynan told the Sun, "They let down Kiena in life — and failed her in her last moments. She felt the police weren't doing anything to help her despite countless reports of domestic violence." He added, "Her attacker was constantly bailed and she ended up with nowhere to turn. She lost hope... When we found her note we knew it was a race against time."
'They don't act quick enough'
Family members called the police and gave them the make, model, and license plate number of her vehicle. Despite being a missing person at high risk, according to Kynan, Lancashire Police took too long to act. "They don't act quick enough. They never do. They weren't interested. That was the longest five hours of my life but poor Nicola Bulley's family had to wait three weeks. That's brutal," said Dawes' brother.
Friends and family frantically searched for the 23-year-old mother in the neighboring streets and alleyways before her body was found near the town of Garstang in Lancashire. A 28-year-old Fleetwood man was arrested on suspicion of abusing her on July 11. This was just days before she killed herself, according to Lancashire Police. The man was granted bail pending additional inquiries despite the claims of domestic abuse, and no charges were filed against him. Following her death, Dawes' family disclosed that she had been living in dread and asserted that in the weeks preceding her death, she had regularly asked the police for help.