Sarah Albone murder: inquest to scrutinise police contact before Biggleswade killing

An inquest is examining how authorities handled warnings before Matthew Waddell murdered Sarah Albone, 38, whose body was found in a wheelie bin in 2023.

Inquest into Biggleswade murder examines police and professional failings

Google News UK — Crime (en) reports that an inquest is under way into the death of Sarah Albone, a 38-year-old mother of three whose body was discovered inside a wheelie bin at her home on Winston Crescent, Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, in February 2023.

Matthew Waddell was sentenced to a mandatory life term with a minimum of 32 years at Luton Crown Court in 2023 for killing Albone and concealing her remains in a suitcase placed inside a taped-up bin. Her body was found on 25 February 2023, three months after she was last seen alive. A pathologist confirmed she had sustained severe facial injuries, including a broken jaw, consistent with being struck and stamped on.

A domestic homicide review — chaired by former senior detective Steve Hassall and not yet published — found concerns about the performance of police and other professionals in the period before Albone's death. Hassall told the inquest there should have been "some understanding" that Albone, who had multiple sclerosis and had complained about Waddell's abusive and controlling behaviour, was at real risk of being murdered.

Prosecutors said Waddell met Albone in late 2020. He had been homeless at the time and moved in with her quickly, Hassall said. Albone had become dependent on him because of her medical conditions, while Waddell had developed what prosecutors described as an "obsession". She filed an assault complaint in December 2021 and detailed his controlling and aggressive conduct to police. Waddell subsequently ignored bail conditions after being arrested on suspicion of harassment.

Hassall told coroner Emma Whitting that opportunities to intervene had been missed and that a number of detailed recommendations for improvements had been put forward. He added that Albone had, over time, stopped trusting police. He also said the government needed to "do more" to promote awareness of the dangers generated by coercive control in intimate relationships.

Whitting said the inquest, which is expected to hear evidence over several days, would examine all contact Albone had with police and other services. She said she wanted to ensure "lessons are learned" from what she described as a "terrible tragedy". Waddell, who denied murder at trial, declined a request to participate in the inquest proceedings.

Source: Google News UK — Crime (en)