Police apologise to family of Georgia Williams
The force investigating West Mercia Police over its previous dealings with murderer Jamie Reynolds has apologised to his victim's mother over a mistake which delayed facts being released.
Devon & Cornwall Police has said sorry to Lynnette Williams, mother of murdered 17-year-old Georgia Williams, after it took more than a week to confirm to the Shropshire Star that six serving officers from West Mercia had received misconduct notices as part of Operation Columbia.
It is an independent investigation into West Mercia's dealings with Reynolds after he tried to strangle a teenage girl five years before he murdered Georgia.
Reynolds was cautioned by police in 2008 when, aged 17, he lured a girl back to his house in Avondale Road, Wellington, Telford.
He used the pretence of a photo shoot and tried to strangle her in an attack that mirrored Georgia's murder.
Earlier this week Mrs Williams spoke out over concerns that the investigation was not "open and honest" as both forces promised it would be.
A Devon and Cornwall Police press office spokesman said today: "We acknowledge that an error has been made and we want to stress that this was a genuine mistake.
"We want to apologise for any distress this has caused the family."
For full story and reaction see tomorrow's Shropshire Star.
