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Two Pcs accused of gross incompetence over teenager’s domestic abuse claims

Two police officers have been accused of failing to act on claims of domestic violence made by a teenage girl who was killed in a heated confrontation with her ex-boyfriend.

Pcs Kerry Lynham and Sophie Dennis face a disciplinary hearing over claims of harassment made by Katrina Makunova in the weeks before her death.

The 17-year-old died in July 2018 when she fell on to a knife that she had concealed in her handbag ahead of a meeting with Oluwaseyi Dada, 23, in Camberwell, south-east London.

He was jailed for two years and three months for her manslaughter in what Judge Nicholas Loraine-Smith described as an “extraordinary case”.

Oluwaseyi Dada
Oluwaseyi Dada was jailed for two years and three months for Katrina Makunova’s manslaughter (Metropolitan Police/PA)

The two Metropolitan Police constables will face claims that their performance was grossly incompetent in a two-day hearing beginning on September 8.

It is claimed that, on June 23 2018, at an address in Forest Hill and at Lewisham police station, both in south-east London, they:

– Failed to acknowledge a member of the public was reporting criminal allegations of harassment and offences under the Public Order Act;

– Failed to take positive action as a result of that allegation;

– Failed to complete risk assessments relating to a vulnerable victim of domestic abuse;

– Failed to safeguard a child (Miss Makunova) in failing to complete a report for a database containing details of minors who have had contact with police.

Pc Dennis is also accused of providing false and misleading information on a crime report.

It is claimed the officer wrongly recorded that Miss Makunova did not want to make a statement when she had not been asked to do so; wrongly stated that a risk assessment form had been completed; and incorrectly said that she had refused to answer some questions.