14/01/2008

Inquiry Call Over 'Killer' Police Officer's Bail

There has been a call for an investigation into why a Metropolitan Police inspector, who was charged with murdering his wife before apparently killing his mother-in-law and then himself, was released on bail.

Garry Weddell, 47, had been due to stand trial later this year charged with the murder of his wife Sandra, 44, whose body was found dead in the garage of their home in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on January 31 last year.

A post-mortem revealed that Mrs Weddell has been strangled with a cable tie.

Mr Weddell had been granted bail, which was set at £200,000, on the condition that he hand in his gun license and did not contact his mother-in-law, 70-year-old Traute Maxfield.

Mr Weddell's body was found in a field near Broomhills Shooting Club in Markyate in Hertfordshire on Saturday morning.

The body of Mrs Maxfield was found later that day about ten miles away in Gustard Wood.

Police had tried to contact her, following the discovery of Mr Weddell's body, as she was listed as his next-of-kin.

Hertfordshire Police confirmed on Monday that both Mr Weddell and his mother-in-law died from gunshot wounds.

Mike Penning, Conservative MP for Hemel Hempstead, has called for an investigation into why Mr Weddell was released from custody.

Mr Penning said that he would write to the Attorney General to ask why Mr Weddell has been released, why the bail had been set at £200,000 and whether or not the police or the family had objected.

The Conservative MP said: "There are so many questions we need to know now as to why this gentleman was not in custody when he was facing such serious charges.

"The courts should be protectants, not putting people at risk."

(KMcA)


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