A teenager was murdered by ex-boyfriend after police fined her for wasting their time. Now police have promised to change
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A police force sharply criticised after a teenager was murdered by an obsessed stalker five months after she was fined for wasting officers' time over him has accepted a series of recommendations from a watchdog.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said Sussex Police has taken on board six "quick-time" recommendations to improve how it handles stalking and harassment cases following 19-year-old Shana Grice's killing.
A trial heard Michael Lane, 27, waited until his ex-girlfriend Miss Grice was home alone before slashing her throat and torching her room at the bungalow she shared with two housemates on August 25 last year.
Police received five reports about Lane's behaviour towards Miss Grice in the months before he killed her at the property in Chrisdory Road in the Portslade area of Brighton.
But on one occasion, Miss Grice was handed a fixed penalty notice for not disclosing she had been in a relationship with Lane after being told he had pulled her hair and grabbed her phone.
Miss Grice's family believe her murder could have been prevented if her fears had been taken seriously by police. And the trial judge, Mr Justice Green, said she was treated as "the wrongdoer" and Lane as "the victim".
The judge also said the fining of Miss Grice led police to treat all further complaints from her with scepticism, and she felt any other reports about Lane's stalking would not be taken seriously.
Lane, of Thornhill Rise, Portslade, was jailed for life to serve a minimum of 25 years following a two-week trial at Lewes Crown Court in March.
IPCC associate commissioner Tom Milsom said he was "encouraged" by Sussex Police's response to its recommendations as it emerged 12 members of police staff form part of their ongoing inquiry.
Mr Milsom said: "Stalking and harassment are serious offences and in certain situations, such as those involving Shana, can have tragic consequences."
Detective Superintendent Jason Tingley, of Sussex Police, said: "We have improved our understanding of what stalking and harassment is and what our response should be.
"This is being reinforced force-wide through sharing of guidance, training and reviewing stalking cases."