An official has urged for a “critical evaluation” of the procedure for overseeing individuals convicted of sexual offenses within society after the tragic death of 19-year-old Leah Croucher.
Following an inquest in June, Senior official Tom Osborne concluded that Neil Maxwell was responsible for the abduction and murder of Ms. Croucher, who vanished while on her way to work on February 15, 2019.
The inquest revealed that Ms. Croucher, a proficient taekwondo practitioner, possibly tried to defend herself from a sexual assault prior to her demise.
Her remains were discovered in October 2022 in Furzton, Milton Keynes, concealed in the attic of an unoccupied house during the COVID-19 pandemic after a maintenance worker provided a tip-off.
Maxwell, who tragically took his own life in April 2019, had a previous conviction for sexual assault in February 2018 and was wanted for a sexual offense in Milton Keynes the following November.
Neil Maxwell. Pic: TVP
In his assessment, Mr. Osborne mentioned that shortcomings in Maxwell’s supervision did not directly lead to Ms. Croucher’s death but suggested they might have had an impact.
He has forwarded a report to justice minister Lord Timpson cautioning that there is a potential for future fatalities unless measures are implemented.
He wrote, “Leah Croucher was unlawfully killed by an individual under the supervision of the probation service and the police. Despite this supervision, he breached his probation terms and was able to harm Leah despite being identified as a threat to females.”
He advocated for a thorough review of the system for monitoring sex offenders within the community and the exchange of intelligence among all agencies, particularly the police and probation service, to prevent similar tragedies.
CCTV of Leah Croucher arriving for work the day before she went missing. Pic: PA
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Maxwell, a skilled laborer with sole access to the property where Ms. Croucher’s remains were located, was initially classified as a medium-risk individual after his sexual assault conviction in 2018, as per the inquest.
However, a subsequent decision suggested he should have been categorized as high risk.
Maxwell evaded multiple probation appointments in 2018 and altered his appearance by losing weight and growing a beard to avoid capture for another alleged sexual offense.
Officials believe that Maxwell’s threat to the public was downplayed and not adequately communicated between law enforcement and probation departments.
