Police Marked Murder Tip as Hoax Before Second Killing, Probe Finds
A police call reporting a 'psychopath' handyman for murdering his girlfriend while he was on bail for killing another partner was incorrectly marked as a hoax, a major investigation has uncovered. Carl Cooper, 66, was jailed for 35 years in 2024 for violently stabbing Naomi Hunte, 41, and murdering Fiona Holm, 48, whose body has never been located.
Violent History and Police Failures
Cooper, originally from Jamaica, was in a relationship with both women approximately one year apart. Each woman separately complained to authorities about his violent and controlling behaviour, yet systemic failures allowed him to remain free. Cooper knifed Ms Hunte to death at her home in south-east London on Valentine's Day 2022. Despite being arrested as the obvious suspect, he denied murdering Ms Hunte and was released on bail.
In June 2023, Ms Holm went missing and was never seen again. On June 25, police received a phone call from an anonymous tipster claiming Cooper had murdered someone that week, but this critical warning was marked down as a hoax by the call handler. Cooper, who denied both murders, was convicted in June 2024 of both women's murders and ordered to serve a minimum of 35 years in prison before being eligible for parole.
Disciplinary Actions and Ongoing Investigation
Now, a spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has confirmed ten Metropolitan Police officers have been issued disciplinary notices as part of a continuing investigation into contact the force had with both women before their deaths. They include a police constable working in the control centre, who last month was served with a misconduct notice relating to the call where Cooper was mentioned but was marked as a hoax.
The spokesperson stated that on 25 June 2023, an anonymous caller explicitly stated Cooper had murdered someone that week. This was only days before Ms Holm was reported missing. Ms Holm, of south-east London, is believed to have died on June 20, 2023. Her blood was found on clothing at Cooper's address, even though he had disposed of furniture and refurbished his flat in an attempt to conceal evidence.
Systemic Issues in Domestic Violence Cases
IOPC director Amanda Rowe said an investigation into police actions following Ms Holm's report of an assault by Cooper only two months earlier led to a detective sergeant and a detective constable being told they were being investigated for potential gross misconduct. She also confirmed two police constables and a detective inspector were being investigated for potential misconduct relating to those actions. Despite being arrested, the Met has previously said Cooper was not charged following the attack.
Ms Rowe added: 'Our investigation subsequently widened and, since September, we have served gross misconduct notices on three police constables and a police sergeant in relation to reports Ms Hunte had made to the Met about Cooper in April and October 2021.'
During Cooper's trial at Woolwich Crown Court, it was heard that Ms Hunte made a series of domestic callouts to police across 2020 and 2021 and told them he was 'obsessed' with her. On June 29, 2021, during a police call-out to her home, she told officers Cooper 'stalks me and I'm really scared now.'
Apologies and Accountability
Following Cooper's murder conviction, an investigation was launched after the families of the victims made complaints alleging serious shortcomings in police investigations before their deaths. Ms Rowe emphasised: 'The serving of conduct notices does not necessarily mean disciplinary proceedings will follow. At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether any officers should face misconduct proceedings. All parties have been kept informed of developments in the investigation.'
The Metropolitan Police has previously apologised for 'mistakes' made when dealing with allegations against Cooper, highlighting broader concerns about how domestic violence cases are handled by authorities. This case underscores the tragic consequences when warning signs are ignored or misclassified, leading to preventable loss of life.
