INVESTIGATORS have said there were serious flaws in the way the region’s police forces tracked a wanted sex offender who went on to murder a teenage girl.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPPC) yesterday commented on its report into the way that Durham, North Yorkshire and Cleveland police forces monitored the Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) intelligence relating to murderer Peter Chapman and said there were a number of opportunities missed.

Earlier this week, The Northern Echo revealed the findings of the report, which detailed how Chapman’s car was flagged up 16 times by ANPR across the three force areas shortly before he was arrested for murdering and raping Darlington teenager Ashleigh Hall.

Yesterday, the Government’s new Freedom Bill made provision for a code of conduct into the use of ANPR and other surveillance systems to be drawn up by the secretary of state.

Chapman, 33, was wanted by Merseyside police on charges of arson, theft and failing to comply with the terms of his sex offenders’ licence.

The IPPC report revealed a number of inadequacies in the forces’ ANPR policies including: 􀁥 North Yorkshire not monitoring their ANPR cameras 24-hours-a-day; 􀁥 Problems with reliability of the ANPR system at Durham, with some staff not logging on to it; 􀁥 No records at Cleveland as to why officers were not dispatched to an ANPR “hit”.

Yesterday, IPCC commissioner Nicholas Long called for a full review of the ANPR system.

He said it was a valuable asset, but depended upon being monitored well and with accurate information.

“This investigation has highlighted serious flaws in the operation of the ANPR system,” he said.

“It is impossible to say with certainty that better use of the ANPR system could have prevented Ashleigh Hall’s murder.

But it is clear there were opportunities missed here.

“My sympathies go out to her family again for their loss.

“I cannot begin to comprehend how terrible this has been for them.

“What I hope they can see from this report is that the issue here is about systemic failures, and not individual misconduct.”

Earlier this week, Andrea Hall, the mother of 17-year-old Ashleigh, said she felt “fobbed off” by the report and was considering legal action.

The management of the ANPR activations on Chapman’s vehicle was voluntarily referred to the IPCC by all three forces.

In a joint statement, the forces said they welcome the IPCC’s findings.

Durham Police said their ANPR unit is now regarded by other forces as an example of good practice.

In Cleveland, action was taken in nine out of the 12 activations in the force area and ultimately led to Chapman’s arrest.

North Yorkshire Police have said they are preparing an appropriate policy regarding the use of ANPR.