Retired Scotland Yard DCI Mike Neville has strongly criticised senior officers from Devon and Cornwall Police over their handling of the murder investigation into former politician Ann Widdecombe. Speaking on TalkTV's Jeremy Kyle programme on Tuesday, July 14, Neville accused the force of making a 'huge mistake' that has eroded public trust and confidence.
Arrest Made Within Hours
A 28-year-old white British male suspect was re-arrested by counter-terrorism police after the case was upgraded to a murder investigation. Widdecombe was found dead in her home last week, prompting an initial response from Devon and Cornwall Police. Neville acknowledged that the detectives who made the arrest within hours had done a good job, but he reserved his harshest criticism for senior officers and the press office.
He stated: 'The ones who have made a mess of this, have eroded trust and confidence in the police are the senior officers, and it's all the time. It was a white Brit, and they knew from the start, and I think they've got CCTV evidence, and they knew that from the start.'
Criticism of Initial Statements
Neville specifically criticised the force's early statements about the motive. He questioned: 'And then you have the press office, the senior officers who come out and say, we don't know the motive, but we don't think it's political — how do those two things work?'
When Jeremy Kyle noted the phrase 'don't think', Neville fumed: 'Just say we don't know. They're almost straightaway, we've got to say it's a white bloke and he's just randomly driven to this famous old lady's house and killed her for no good reason, or it's a burglary gone wrong.'
He added: 'Most burglars don't attack anybody; they run away. That whole thing was nonsense... because until you've searched his house fully, until you've examined every digital device, you won't know a motive.'
Digital Forensics Challenges
Neville explained that suspects often remain silent during interviews, and digital forensics takes time, especially if the suspect refuses to provide passwords. He questioned why the police made such statements, saying: 'They made themselves look stupid, and they made the accusation of two-tier policing too easy to throw at them.'
Police Commissioner Defends Force
Devon and Cornwall police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez has defended the force's handling of the case. She told the press: 'There's been some commentary about the way Devon and Cornwall police have communicated during the early stages of this case, but, as the Home Secretary said yesterday, it is not unusual that in a fast-paced investigation, more information comes to light that changes the nature or the character of what the police are dealing with.'
She added: 'Since the beginning of this investigation, I have been briefed by the Chief Constable regularly, and I am confident that Devon and Cornwall Police have provided a substantial and professional response to Ann Widdecombe's death.'
