Tuesday 29 November 2022 04:33 PM Senior coroner takes employer to employment tribunal trends now
Stephanie Davies, who created the 179-page report is taking Cheshire Police to an Employment Tribunal after they suspended her for raising concerns that a serial killer may have been operating in the north west
A senior coroner's officer who reviewed cases and warned a serial killer may be on the loose is suing police for suspending her after she raised the concerns.
Stephanie Davies wrote a report on the apparent murder-suicides of five couples between 1996 and 2011, and formed the conclusion that at least two of the cases were in fact the murders of a serial killer.
She gave a copy of her report to her employers - Cheshire Police - but after this they then suspended her before launching an investigation into Miss Davies herself.
Now, she is suing them for detrimental treatment Following her 'whistleblowing', plus disability discrimination.
A preliminary employment tribunal heard that Miss Davies showed her report, which included photographs, identifying details and a suggested suspect, to a series of external experts.
She claimed these disclosures were an attempt to seek expert opinion on her findings and to help expose cases which potentially had the wrong verdict, and that she was suspended because of this.
Ms Davies investigated the case of Howard and Bea Ainsworth were found dead in their Wilmslow home in Cheshire in 1996. Police concluded that it was the result of a murder-suicide. She suspects that the couple may have both been murdered
However, the Liverpool hearing ruled that she should not have shown the reports to experts outside of her police force and that only handing it to Detective Superintendent Simon Blackwell, in Cheshire Police, was justified.
This part of her case will now proceed to a full hearing, pending a further preliminary hearing.
Miss Davies began working as a coroner's officer for Cheshire Police in 2007 and was promoted to a senior position ten years later.
In March 2018, Miss Davies started a PhD at the University of Liverpool, supported by her employers.
Donald and Auriel Ward, pictured were found dead at their home in Wilmslow. The police investigation determined Mrs War, 68, right, was hit with a ceramic hot water bottle and stabbed with the shards. Mr Ward, 73, slit his throat and stabbed himself
On February 17, 2011, ex-quarry worker Stanley Wilson, 92, is said to have carried out an attack on his retired teacher wife Peggie, 89, at home in Kendal
It was heard that as part of her research, she had access to old coroner's files provided that she: 'Be mindful of how you/we use police/coroner investigations and the data control/share issues.'
Her predecessor, Christine Hurst, knew Miss Davies had an interest in 'equivocal death' - cases where the manner of death is deemed uncertain - and planned to do a PhD in that area.
The tribunal heard she told Miss Davies about two files which she had kept in her office because the verdicts in those cases had troubled her.
Among the cases Miss Davies studied were two which were labelled murder-suicides, where the males killed the females and then themselves.
She thought they might be unresolved double murder cases and said she found other cases which had some similarities.
Miss Davies wrote a report in 2018 on this, which she showed to several experts, that included photographs, identifying details and a person she thought should be a suspect.
In September of that year, Miss Davies gave the report to Cheshire Police's Detective Chief Inspector Simon Blackwell.
Ms Davies believed a serial killer may have been responsible for a number of deaths which were officially ruled as murder-sucides
Mrs Davies thought there were clues that indicated a killer could be roaming Britain's streets: 1. Howard Ainsworth has his head covered with a plastic bag and ligature 2. Bea Ainsworth had a knife sticking out of her head and injuries from a hammer 3. The bag on Mr Ainsworth's head was covered in blood, suggesting he already had it on when his wife was attacked 4. Only a tiny amount of bloody was on Mr Ainsworth's pyjamas 5. Mr Ainsworth's body is in an odd position, suggesting it could have been moved 6. The tip of the knife in Mrs Ainsworth's head was shoved in with considerable force 7. The hammer was found washed in the sink, which would be an odd move for Mr Ainsworth to make if he was about to commit suicide 8. Another hammer is also at the scene 9. A possible second ligature is on the floor, potentially left by the killer 10. A bottle of pills was scattered on the floor, but it was a drug not prescribed to the couple 11. A suicide note, from Mr Ainsworth was found, but was he forced to sign it?
