rBy David Young-
The mother of murdered Becky Godden has said the IOPC needs reform, accusing the police watchdog of “sugar coating” its investigation into Wiltshire Police’s handling of her daughter’s murder case.
Mrs Edwards (pictured)said it was clear Wiltshire Police had made the conscious decision to sit on evidence.
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In response to how she felt about the IOPC report and the apology from Wiltshire Police, she said: “It has brought me some sort of closure but my honest opinion now is I think the IOPC needs to be looked at.
“They are lovely people who I dealt with but they are just tied up in bureaucracy and they just have no idea what’s really going on.”
Mrs Edwards continued: “I have been privy to the whole (IOPC) system and it’s wrong, I felt all along that they were sugar coating everything and wrapping the police up in cotton wool.”
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“Where is the ‘I’? Where is the ‘Independence’ in the IOPC?” she said.
She added: “The IOPC needs reform and it needs to be looked at, and that is my next mission.”
The IOPC noted there had been no senior investigating officer in the case between Mr Fulcher stepping down in the midst of disciplinary proceedings in July 2011 and Detective Inspector Matt Davey being given the role in October 2012.
Key items of forensic evidence, such as soil from a spade that matched the rare soil of the field in which Miss Godden’s body was disced, were not analysed for up to three years after they were first seized.
Becky Godden was murdered in 2003 (Wiltshire Police/PA)
The IOPC conducted investigations into three police officers and only found one – Chief Constable Kier Pritchard – had a case to answer for his lack of oversight and scrutiny of the progress of the case.
It has been agreed with Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson that Mr Pritchard will only receive management action in respect of the failings, the IOPC said.
The IOPC are meant to be an independent regulator of the police, and often hold the force to account when failings are glaring.
However, the regulatory body has its many critics, many of whom believe they secretly have some network connection with the police, and sometimes have their best interest at heart, higher than those of the public who are expected to the trust their professionalism and independence.
IOPC regional director Catrin Evans said: “Our investigation found serious failings in the way the force handled the murder investigation, after the initial charges relating to Becky’s murder were dropped in February 2012.
“In our view, the issues that arose stemmed from a combination of systemic weaknesses within the force at the time as well as individual shortcomings.
“Our investigation indicated that no-one in Wiltshire Police took responsibility for ensuring that the murder inquir
Wiltshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills said the force has apologised to Miss Godden’s parents for the failings.
“We are sincerely and deeply sorry for the impact these avoidable delays in the investigation had on Becky’s family and recognise these have further compounded the terrible pain and loss endured as result of the murder of their much-loved daughter,” he said.
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