Protecting negligent officials comes first in Britain

A series of blunders that led to a convicted knifeman killing a Cornish cleaning lady will remain secret to protect the identity of the probation officer who failed to ensure that he was properly supervised, officials have ruled. Gary Chester-Nash had more than 30 convictions, several for offences involving knives, when he stabbed 59-year-old Jean Bowditch to death at the Cornish seaside bungalow that she was cleaning. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a recommendation that he serve a minimum of 30 years.

During his trial last year it emerged that Chester-Nash, 28, should have been subject to stringent supervision after his release from prison for a previous offence. But instead of returning to the bail hostel in East London where he was supposed to be living, he travelled to Cornwall where he killed Mrs Bowditch during a bungled break-in within a week of his release. Although he was under one of the highest levels of supervision by a multi-agency public protection arrangement (Mappa) under the London Probation Service, the Metropolitan Police Service and the Prison Service, no attempt was made to find him, and police forces were not alerted to look out for him, even though he was considered a high-risk offender.

Mrs Bowditch’s family said that they were disgusted that a report into the failure of Chester-Nash’s supervision is being kept secret. In a response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act, a Home Office official said that it was important to protect “Mr Chester-Nash’s personal data”. Information policy officer Jill Naylor said that the probation officials involved also needed protection. She said: “Given the high profile and extremely serious nature of this case, the individuals concerned would be subjected to unwarranted and unwanted media attention. This may result in them being unable to conduct their day-to-day work and they may also suffer unwarranted disruption to their private lives. “As well as protecting the personal information of officials, Mr Chester-Nash’s personal data, where it is not in the public domain through official channels, must also be safeguarded.”

Stephen Peattie, who is the partner of Mrs Bowditch’s daughter Angela, said yesterday: “We waited nine months just to get that. All we want is someone to stand up, admit responsibility, and apologise. Instead, they hide behind the Data Protection Act. “It is unbelievable that the privacy of Chester-Nash and the probation officer who was responsible for this whole mess is put above us getting justice for Jean.”

Chester-Nash was considered such a threat to the public that he was subject to one of the most stringent ASBOs imposed, which banned him from all licensed premises in England. He was also banned from carrying any weapon and from seeking employment that would bring him into contact with young women. He had been the prime suspect in a series of stabbings in Cambridge but although his picture was posted on warning notices and he was banned from entering any college or educational establishment he was never charged through lack of evidence. He subsequently served a series of short sentences for burglary and possession of offensive weapons before moving to East London.

Mrs Bowditch’s husband Michael, a 65-year-old retired milkman from St Ives, described the decision to keep the report secret as pathetic. The widower said: “It is just cover-up after cover-up. People don’t do their job and they get away with it. “They feel they have to protect the prisoner’s human rights all the time. The victims are just not considered and are not important. “Somebody, somewhere has not done their job but they will keep their job and their pension and their sick pay and all their perks while the victims are just fobbed off.”

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said last night: “The London Mappa strategic management board carried out an internal review of the handling in this case and developed a series of recommendations as a result.” The spokesman added: “Mappa reviews scrutinise its risk-assessment, risk-management, and offender-management procedures. “The integrity and rigour of the scrutiny would be prejudiced and seriously undermined by routinely placing reviews which contain high levels of operational detail in the public domain. Where there are lessons for the management of future cases, they are highlighted and implemented by Mappa partners. “Public protection is our top priority. It is vital that we have the best possible systems in place to manage offenders effectively.” There was also a separate serious further offence review carried out by the London Probation Service.


Report here



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