WIREDGOV

Our investigation following the murder of Sinead Wooding in Leeds is now complete, finding that call-handlers and officers acted appropriately.

Her husband, 27-year-old Akshar Ali, was jailed for her murder in January this year. We looked at West Yorkshire Police’s response to a 999 call, made by Ms Wooding, in the days before she was killed in May 2017.

Our investigation established that 26-year-old Ms Wooding called the force on 10 May 2017 to report receiving malicious calls and texts from her husband. He wasn’t at their home at the time but was claiming to be waiting for her there. She was given advice by the call-handler. Another call-handler contacted Ms Wooding approximately one hour later, and confirmed she was at her home and was safe and well.  Officers were dispatched to her home the following day, in line with force policy, but she wasn’t at the address and did not answer calls to her mobile phone.

On 13 May officers went to her home and were told by Akshar Ali that she wasn’t there, and regularly went missing for days at a time. He also called West Yorkshire Police the following day to say he was trying to contact Sinead but couldn’t reach her. Her body was found in woodland close to Eccup Reservoir on the morning of 14 May and Ali was charged with her murder.

IOPC Regional Director Miranda Biddle said: “Anyone who followed the trial of Akshar Ali cannot fail to have been moved by the senseless brutality of Sinead Wooding’s death, and our thoughts are with her family and friends.

“In analysing all the available evidence, including detailed witness statements from all those involved, our investigation concluded that West Yorkshire Police followed all policies and procedures appropriate to the circumstances at the time and did not cause or contribute to Ms Wooding’s death.”