Merlin the Magician
At the Start
A catalogue of errors by probation and parole staff in the management of two criminals who killed financier John Monckton were identified by an official inquiry.
In a highly critical report, chief inspector of probation Andrew Bridges said there had been a "collective failure" in the supervision of Damien Hanson and Elliot White.
Later it was announced that four members of Probation Service staff have been suspended following the report, a Home Office spokesman confirmed.
Mr Bridges said it was not his role to recommend disciplinary action against individuals, but he said his review had found "serious deficiencies" and he criticised some of those involved in the case. "Our report is clear," he said. "The mismanagement of these cases did fail to reduce the risk posed to the public by these two men."
Mr Monckton was killed during a robbery at his three-storey home in Chelsea, west London, in November 2004.
Mr Bridges' report was commissioned by the Home Secretary in the wake of the convictions of Hanson and White at the Old Bailey last year. The report identified, but does not name, five individuals involved in the management of Hanson's case, and two in the handling of White's supervision.
Mr Bridges said: "It is not our role to start or recommend any disciplinary proceedings against individuals - that is the role of the employing authorities."
The most "glaring deficiency" in the management of Hanson's case was the fact that he was required to report to a probation office inside an exclusion zone that had been set up following his release from an earlier jail sentence.
This was "utterly extraordinary" and completely unacceptable, Mr Bridges said. "While it is not possible to eliminate risk altogether when managing an offender in the community, the public is entitled to expect the authorities to do their job properly in managing serious and dangerous offenders - which simply did not happen in the cases of Hanson and White," he said.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the failings identified in Mr Bridges' report were "unacceptable" and that he took responsibility for the case. "I deeply regret that this happened and pass my full regret and apologies to the family and friends of John Monckton
In a highly critical report, chief inspector of probation Andrew Bridges said there had been a "collective failure" in the supervision of Damien Hanson and Elliot White.
Later it was announced that four members of Probation Service staff have been suspended following the report, a Home Office spokesman confirmed.
Mr Bridges said it was not his role to recommend disciplinary action against individuals, but he said his review had found "serious deficiencies" and he criticised some of those involved in the case. "Our report is clear," he said. "The mismanagement of these cases did fail to reduce the risk posed to the public by these two men."
Mr Monckton was killed during a robbery at his three-storey home in Chelsea, west London, in November 2004.
Mr Bridges' report was commissioned by the Home Secretary in the wake of the convictions of Hanson and White at the Old Bailey last year. The report identified, but does not name, five individuals involved in the management of Hanson's case, and two in the handling of White's supervision.
Mr Bridges said: "It is not our role to start or recommend any disciplinary proceedings against individuals - that is the role of the employing authorities."
The most "glaring deficiency" in the management of Hanson's case was the fact that he was required to report to a probation office inside an exclusion zone that had been set up following his release from an earlier jail sentence.
This was "utterly extraordinary" and completely unacceptable, Mr Bridges said. "While it is not possible to eliminate risk altogether when managing an offender in the community, the public is entitled to expect the authorities to do their job properly in managing serious and dangerous offenders - which simply did not happen in the cases of Hanson and White," he said.
Home Secretary Charles Clarke said the failings identified in Mr Bridges' report were "unacceptable" and that he took responsibility for the case. "I deeply regret that this happened and pass my full regret and apologies to the family and friends of John Monckton