Lousia Ovington independent investigation report ... - NHS North East

DS1 told the panel bluntly that, in his view and with the benefit of hindsight the killing
of Mr Hilton was the most predictable homicide he had ever dealt with. This was said
with the advantage of having been able to take a detailed and longitudinal view of
Louisa Ovington’s history of involvement with the criminal justice system, as well as
having access to (at least some) of her health records and those of Mr Hilton (which
the panel did not have) and of discussions and input from probation and the trust.
During the period post dating Louisa Ovington’s discharge from Kneesworth, although
the police were well aware of Louisa Ovington’s behaviour and the risks she posed and
knew that she had involvement with the mental health services and probation, there
was no attempt (by the police) to invoke a multi agency response. This would have
been available under the aegis of MAPPA. DS1 told the panel that Louisa Ovington
should have been dealt with under MAPPA. He said, “(It’s absolutely clear, she should
have been.”
He told the panel that:
CHAPTER 5 – INVOLVEMENT WITH POLICE AND PROBATION
• Despite the fact that agencies were taking Louisa Ovington seriously ‘there was a
problem with information sharing’ and this led to inadequate risk assessment.
MAPPA involvement would have provided a multi agency response. DS1 said:
“Police had information (about Louisa Ovington’s high risk), health had
information, probation had information, but no one had the whole picture”.
• MAPPA involvement would have raised awareness, raised concerns and shared
responsibility. He told the panel that MAPPA is a very effective multi agency
group of people who are experts in their own field in managing dangerous
people.
• There were numerous things that MAPPA could have done - for example putting
Louisa Ovington onto alcohol programmes, sending a beat officer around
regularly, encouraging Louisa Ovington and Mr Hilton to live further apart.
In relation to who should have made the MAPPA referral, the panel was told that ‘any
agency’ could make it. Once the referral was made, the meeting would be convened.
However DS1 commented that not all personnel (even in the police force) would
understand the process.
Although there were two documented occasions when the police contacted the
mental health services, once in relation to the incident on 30 July 2004 when
Louisa Ovington had threatened to kill Mr Hilton saying she had a gun, knives and
a sword and again three days later when she pulled a knife on a neighbour, there
was no regular exchange of information with the other agencies; no formal line of
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