By Sammie Jones-
A Teenager was cruelly murdered by her stalker after she reported him to the police five times, in a heartbreaking case that calls attention to how police deal with complex cases, particularly those involving domestic violence.
Shana, a receptionist from Brighton, had pleaded with police to take action against Michael Lane five times, over a period of six months in 2016.
AD: Capeesh Restaurant
Cops ignored the girl’s pleas because of an earlier report she made in which she did not reveal to police that she had been in a relationship with the man.
Police at the time labelled her a liar and fined her £90 for wasting police time.
The fact she left out information about her relationship with him, police considered her a liar, and adopted a sceptical view on her later complaints.
AD: Oysterian Sea Food Restaurant And Bar
Unknown to cops at the time, the story was about to turn into a disastrous twist that would end in murder. Sharna would become the girl who cried wolf.
Blind Eye
Due to the woman’s original deception, police turned a blind eye to the rest of her complaints instead of concluding that she had hidden that information in a dubious attempt to secure a straight forward arrest and conviction.
The man eventually broke into her home, slitting her throat before trying to burn her body in August 2016.
In March that year she was fined £90 by Sussex Police for wasting their time because she did not tell officers they had been in a relationship after she reported Lane for pulling her hair and grabbing her phone.
Shana’s heartbreaking death featured in Sky Crime documentary Murder in Slow Motion over the weekend. Not willing to let it go – even after she reignited her relationship with Ashley – Michael continued to bombard Shana with messages, slashed her tyres and even vandalised Ashley’s car with a note which read: ‘Shana will always cheat on you. Happy New Year.’
Six weeks later he broke into her home again, walked into her bedroom and murdered her after learning she was in a new relationship.
In March 2017, Lane, then 27, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 25 years Shana’s murder.
Failed
Tom Milsom from the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), says Sussex Police didn’t understand “the difference between a spat between two individuals and harassing behaviour” so Shana was “failed”.
Shana was just 18 and had started a new job at a fire alarm firm when she met Lane, a man eight years older and a mechanic at the same company.
Lane paid her a lot of attention, eventually dating Shana for a few months after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend Ashley Cooke.
Shana eventually wanted outs when he became volatile and possessive, but Lane refused to let her go.
He bombarded Shana with messages, sent her flowers for her 19th birthday, put a tracker device on her car, and turned up unannounced at the home she shared with her two friends even though she had reconciled with Ashley.
He also vandalised Ashley’s car and left a note reading: “Shana will always cheat on you. Happy New Year.”
Obsessed
A frightened Shana called the police in February 2016 and the female call handler phoned Lane and warned him to stay away.
But the obsessed weirdo followed and tried to grab her mobile phone, and pulled her hair and hit her while doing so.
Shana ran to Ashley’s house where she called police.Michael
Obsessed Michael Lane: Sentenced to 25 years imprisonment
PC Trevor Godfrey interviewed him in the presence of Ashley and his parent, breaching guidelines.
After PC Godfrey discovered that the pair were actually in a relationship , police made no attention to her complaints.
A victim impact statement read on her behalf read: “We brought Shana up to respect authority and to always respect the law.
“We firmly believe her murder could have been prevented if her fears had been listened to and taken seriously by the police.”
Kerry says Lane’s escalating behaviour were red flags that should have raised alarms and the way female victims are treated needs a ‘seismic’ change involving the whole of society.
She said: “We all have to change our attitudes. We need to start addressing why we’re so keen to blame women for what happens to them.”
At a subsequent enquiry PC John Milne was found guilty of gross misconduct and PC Godfrey of misconduct.
AD: Heritage And Restaurant Lounge Bar