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IOPC investigates whether Durham Police could have prevented Angela Lloyd's killing
Überblick
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has launched an investigation into Durham Police following a complaint from the family of Angela Lloyd. Officers had spoken to Patricia Hewitt just minutes before Hewitt stabbed the 56-year-old disabled woman to death in her Newton Aycliffe home on 13 August 2025. Hewitt, who was suffering from psychosis, had been allowed to walk away by police despite concerns raised about her erratic behaviour and a shoplifting incident, having also been released from court earlier that day with a suspended sentence for a previous attack.
Wichtige Punkte
- The IOPC is investigating Durham Police's contact with killer Patricia Hewitt to determine if opportunities to prevent the killing were missed.
- Patricia Hewitt stabbed Angela Lloyd to death in her Newton Aycliffe home on 13 August 2025.
- PCSOs had spoken to Hewitt minutes before the attack following reports of erratic behaviour and shoplifting.
- Earlier on the day of the killing, Hewitt had received a suspended sentence at court for a random attack the previous day.
- Hewitt was sentenced to an indefinite hospital detention order for diminished responsibility manslaughter.
- A coroner noted that a care emergency service also failed to respond quickly to Lloyd's calls for help.