New Scotland Yard. Pic: Met Police
Five Metropolitan Police Officers will face disciplinary procedures after mishandling calls about domestic abuse in Croydon, which eventually led to the brutal stabbing and murder of a trainee nursery nurse.
Rebecca Sessacar was stabbed 58 times by her husband Bulent Sessacar at their home in Duppas Hill Terrace, Croydon, on December 20, 2012. After pleading guilty at the Old Bailey, Bulent was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 10 years and 8 months.
According to the police, neighbours had called earlier on December 18 to report a disturbance at the home of the couple. Bulent was arrested but released with no bail conditions after Rebecca had said she didn’t want to press charges.
Then, on the day of the murder, officers were again called by a neighbour who said that there were sounds of a scream and a body being dragged across the floor at the Sessacar’s flat. Police arrived at the flat and, after finding it silent and in darkness, returned back to the police station.
An investigation was opened by the Independent Police Complaints Commissioner after Rebecca Sessacar’s death last year.
According to a spokesperson for the commissioner, the investigation examined the circumstances surrounding the death and in relation to the police’s contact with the Sessacars before and on the day of December 20.
The spokesperson said: “During the investigation, consideration was given to whether the actions of individual officers met the threshold for misconduct under the Police (Conduct) Regulations 2008.”
“The investigation found there was some evidence of individual failings, for the purposes of the Regulations, which may amount to misconduct.”
Their final investigation report was passed on to the Met Police in September and last month, the Independent Police Complaints Commissioner received a response from the Police saying that the findings have been accepted.
Five officers are subject to unsatisfactory performance procedures with two now having to attend a gross incompetence meeting.
An unsatisfactory performance procedure is defined by the Independent Police Complaints Commissioner as “an inability or failure to perform the duties of the role/rank to a satisfactory standard or level.”
