PM not ruling out public inquiry into hospital electrician's sex attacks on corpses

Boris Johnson is not ruling out a public inquiry into how a hospital electrician was able to film himself carrying out dozens of sex attacks on corpses in mortuaries.

David Fuller, 67, has pleaded guilty to murdering Wendy Knell, 25, and Caroline Pierce, 20, in two separate attacks in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, in 1987.

Ahead of his trial, Fuller also admitted to carrying out sex attacks on dozens of dead bodies in the mortuaries of Kent hospitals where he worked in electrical maintenance roles.

The victims included three people under the age of 18 and others older than 85 between 2008 and November last year.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Police have discovered thousands of videos and photographs in Fuller’s house containing distressing images, some of which depicted sex offences in the mortuaries.

Downing Street said the prime minister’s “thoughts and sympathies” are with all those affected by Fuller’s crimes.

A spokesman for Mr Johnson said: “The sickening nature of these crimes is very difficult to comprehend and while words cannot describe the pain inflicted on these families, the prime minister has been profoundly moved by some of the experiences that have been shared.

Owen Paterson quits £110k a year consultancy work amid lobbying scandal, day after saying he will leave the ‘cruel world of politics’

Owen Paterson resigns: Conservative ex-minister quits as MP after row over House of Commons suspension

Owen Paterson: Who is the Conservative MP who’s quit after lobbying uproar?

“His thoughts are also with Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce who were brutally killed over 30 years ago, and while nothing will ever take away their pain, he hopes seeing justice finally done will provide their families with some comfort.”

Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark, a former cabinet minister, has said he and a number of his Conservative colleagues are demanding a public inquiry into the case.

The Centre for Women’s Justice charity has also joined the calls for an inquiry.

Asked whether Downing Street would commit to a public inquiry, the Number 10 spokesman said: “We’re not ruling it out, but we need to let the investigations that are already under way take place.

“It’s critical that we investigate this case thoroughly to see what lessons can be learned.”

The spokesman added an independently chaired review was already under way “into exactly what occurred at the trust” which would report to Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

Mr Javid has “also asked the Human Tissue Authority for advice on whether any changes are required to the existing regulations”, Number 10 said.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Mr Clark has said an investigation into whether national policy was “stringent enough” in order to ensure such a case “never happens again” was the “very least” the families of victims deserve.

“The questions that are raised include local ones about how this was allowed to happen,” Mr Clark told the PA news agency.

“But there are also national ones as to whether national policy was good enough, was stringent enough, and whether it could have happened in other hospitals across the country.

“The scale of the inquiry, when you have over 100 victims, and very important evidence that needs to be taken from them and others, the local NHS trust doesn’t have the resources and the administration to mount such an inquiry.”

Read Entire Article