Alice Murder File Lost in Coroner Error

Parents 'bewildered' and 'angry' about why they hadn't been told

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An investigation is underway after an important file relating to the Alice Gross inquiry was left on a train by the coroner.

Police have said that ther senior west London coroner Chinyere Inyama "inadvertently disposed" of a 30-page document of evidence against the chief suspect Arnis Zalkalns in November.

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) tried to recover the file but concluded it had probably been destroyed.

The search for the missing 14-year-old was the largest investigation police had undertaken since the 7 July 2005 bomb attacks in London. Her body was found in the River Brent on 30 September 2014.

The body of Arnis Zalkalns, 41, from Latvia, was found on 4 October, in Boston Manor Park. Police had said if he had been found alive he would have been charged in relation to the murder.

An inquest into Alice's death was opened and adjourned last October, but the coroner lost the vital document - given to him to help with preparations for the inquests into the deaths of Alice and Zalkalns - a month later.

A spokesman for the Met said: "In November 2014 the MPS was informed by HM Coroner, London West, that he had inadvertently disposed of a single document relating to the police evidence against Arnis Zalkalns.

"An investigation to recover it was undertaken. This concluded that it was highly likely it had been destroyed as waste."

Alice's family have said they were "extremely concerned, bewildered and angry" that highly sensitive information about Alice had been lost.

The Ministry of Justice say a full investigation is underway.

A full inquest into Alice's death is due to be held at the end of November or the beginning of December.

 

27th July 2015