IPCC confirms it will investigate Merseyside Police over Chapman monitoring (From The Northern Echo)

IPCC confirms it will investigate Merseyside Police over Chapman monitoring

12:01pm Wednesday 10th March 2010 in Ashleigh Hall Trial

THE Independent Police Complaints Commission today confirmed it will carry out an investigation into how Merseyside Police monitored Peter Chapman, the convicted sex offender who raped and murdered Darlington teenager Ashleigh Hall.

The force referred itself to the IPCC yesterday after it emerged that Chapman, who was required to be monitored by police as he was on the sex offenders’ register, had left his home on Merseyside.

The force waited nine months after he went missing before issuing a nation-wide alert to find him.

Chapman was jailed for a minimum of 35 years on Monday for the murder of 17-year-old Ashleigh.

A statement released today by the IPCC said it has decided to conduct an independent investigation.