Fiona Pilkington Case: IPPC Report Findings- Four Officers Face Misconduct Proceedings
Four officers face misconduct proceedings after police missed chances to stop a gang terrorising a woman who later killed herself and her daughter.
Fiona Pilkington, 38, and 18-year-old Francecca Hardwick, who was disabled, died in October 2007 when Ms Pilkington set fire to their car.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has found the family should have been identified as “vulnerable”.
They had complained 33 times to Leicestershire Police about harassment.
An inspector, a sergeant and two police constables have a case to answer for misconduct, but the force stressed that their jobs were not at risk.
IPCC Commissioner Amerdeep Somal said: “There was nothing in place to ensure the Pilkington family were considered by police as vulnerable or repeat victims, contrary to the force’s own strategy.
“Systems were in place for officers to have linked the catalogue of incidents but these were not well utilised.
“Police missed several opportunities to take robust action, inadequately investigated criminal allegations on some occasions and failed to record information on their own intelligence system.”
Over the course of 10 years, Ms Pilkington’s home in Barwell was repeatedly targeted by groups of up to 16 youngsters, with stones, eggs and flour thrown at the house.
On one occasion, Francecca – who had the mental age of a four-year-old – was told to lift up her night-dress, while her brother Anthony was locked in a shed at knifepoint.
‘Gave up’
Ms Pilkington reported the incidents, but in total received only eight visits from officers.
An inquest in 2009 heard that six months before her death she had told her family: “I give up.”
The 38-year-old killed herself and Francecca by pouring petrol over their car in a lay-by on the A47 in nearby Earl Shilton.
The inquest found that failings by the Leicestershire force – along with Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council – had contributed to the deaths.
The coroner said the abuse had been classified as anti-social behaviour, rather than crime, and that information had not been properly shared.
The case has led to a review of the way police forces deal with targeted anti-social behaviour.
Last year, Ms Pilkington’s family announced they had issued legal proceedings against Leicestershire Police and the two councils.
Same Difference 
If this long-overdue review does its job properly, can we expect to no longer hear of these kind of desperate acts for desperate measures – undertaken by stricken people who are at their wits end, with no recourse for the merciless bullying they endured up until Crisis Point?
Will it give comfort to the victims families, left to bear the brunt of the tragic results of nothing less than evil crimes against the person – perpetrated by sick, sad, hateful, moronic, ungrateful monsters? When they call Us freaks – are they not really takling about themselves?
I hope it will eradicate this scurge and finally seperate ASBO from HATE CRIME.
It’s getting increasingly difficult for us to get away with calling ourselves a civillised society.
At what point will the worm turn?
When will the authorites/ establishment champion the causes of the victimised, helpless & vulnerable, instead of merely pledging to do so AND FINALLY take responsibility for the collapse of society that has precipitated this element of low-life criminality?
Dear Lord Let It Be Soon.
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