Independent Police Complaints Commission
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IPCC independently investigating Surrey Police’s handling of call prior to Breck Bednar’s murder
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) is investigating Surrey Police’s response to a telephone report from Breck Bednar’s mother that her 14 year-old son was being groomed online by a youth who subsequently admitted to murdering him.
The independent investigation will focus on the response provided by Surrey Police including what actions the force agreed to take or should have taken and the conduct of the call handlers who dealt with the report. It will also consider:
- Whether the actions taken by Surrey Police was in accordance with child protection and safe guarding procedures and processes
- Whether appropriate training was provided to police staff to enable them to respond to grooming and child safeguarding concerns raised by callers.
Lewis Daynes pleaded guilty to Breck’s murder on 25 November 2014 and has been sentenced to life imprisonment.
IPCC investigators have served a misconduct notice on a staff member at Surrey Police contact centre who has been interviewed. Another staff member, who took the call, resigned from the force in August 2014.
IPCC Commissioner Jennifer Izekor, who is overseeing the investigation, said:
“Our thoughts are with Breck’s family today. The investigators and I have met with Breck’s parents to express our condolences and explain the scope of our investigation. We will be keeping them informed throughout the investigation. We have obtained details of the call made by Breck’s mother to Surrey Police about the communication between her son and Lewis Daynes. We need to understand how that information was acted on, and whether more could or should have been done to safeguard Breck.”
Notes to editors:
The IPCC were previously supervising an investigation by Surrey Police’s Professional Standards Department. The IPCC’s independent investigation began in November following a review of the supervised investigation.
Serving a police officer or member of staff with a notice advises them their conduct is subject to investigation - such notices are not judgmental in any way.
