The family of murdered Leah Croucher have said they will "fight until their deaths" to close a legal loophole they believe may have prevented her killing. They are calling for "Leah's Law", which would introduce a "three-strike" rule giving repeat sexual offenders mandatory sentences.
Killer's History of Offences
Sexual predator Neil Maxwell was handed 200 hours of community service in February 2018, less than a year before he snatched and killed Leah as she made her way to work. This followed a lifetime of sexual offences beginning in 1998 when he was jailed for raping a child. He accumulated further offences in 2002, 2009 and 2010.
When Maxwell abducted, raped and murdered Leah, 19, in February 2019, he was wanted for an alleged sexual assault in Newport Pagnell in November 2018 and had used false names to evade arrest. Leah's parents, Claire and John, have branded Maxwell an "animal" and said he should never have been free to attack their daughter.
Call for New Legislation
Leah's family are calling for "Leah's Law" to introduce a "three-strike" rule. Repeat sexual offenders would be handed mandatory sentences, legislation which exists for other offences such as burglary but not for sexual offences.
Leah's mum, Claire, 51, said: "We are resigned to the fact we are never going to get any justice, not even a small slice. All we can do is fight for everyone else. A sex offender can offend multiple times but there's no statutory requirement for a prison sentence."
"We want to change that by having a law in place so that Leah's death can help protect others, so that their families don't have to go through the same pain and agony as we did." Dad John, 52, added: "If it stops just one family from having to go through this, then it's worth the pain that we're having to suffer at the minute. Even if it's just one."
Inquest Findings and Failings
An inquest in 2024 heard Taekwondo black belt Leah tried in vain to fight off handyman Maxwell, and probably died on the day she vanished in February 2019. He was found dead two months later in a bike shed. Her dismembered body was not discovered until 2022 in the loft of a holiday home in Milton Keynes, Bucks, for which Maxwell was the key holder.
At the conclusion of the inquest, senior coroner Tom Osborne issued a Prevention of Future Deaths notice calling for a "fundamental review of monitoring of sex offenders in the community". Mr Osborne concluded that Ms Croucher was "unlawfully killed" by Maxwell, and was most likely the victim of an "unwarranted sex attack". He said failures regarding the monitoring of Maxwell by the probation service and police "may have played a part" in her death. He also labelled the take up and vetting of officers that can use a system for sharing information about sex offenders "woefully inadequate".
Petition and Family's Demands
Leah's family have launched a petition calling for "Leah's Law" which they believe may have prevented her murder. The online petition, which already has in excess of 12,000 signatures, stated: "Mandatory minimums already exist for domestic burglary and Class A drug trafficking. There's no justifiable reason sexual offending should be treated more leniently. By a third conviction, it is self-evident that the offender has not been sufficiently deterred from further offending."
"Where a case falls below that threshold, we are calling for a District Judge to oversee sentencing in all repeat sexual offence cases, so a decision like the one that let Maxwell walk free can never be made again. This would have ensured he had no opportunity to kill Leah, and that the risk he presented on his release would have been vastly reduced."
Following Leah's inquest, the family hoped ministers would address their fears, but it was instead passed to a regional Probation Director. This means any review would be confined to the Thames Valley area, raising concerns that it would not identify flaws across the UK. The review has now been carried out, but Leah's family said it does not go beyond the findings of the coroner.
The family are also calling for families to access Article 2 inquests, something they were denied, which probes if the state has potentially failed in its duty to protect life. They also want action to allow grieving families access to legal aid, something they were again denied.
Care home manager Claire said: "We we're not entitled to legal aid. And even if he'd been alive and we'd gone to trial, we would not have been entitled to be legal aid - but he would. And during the inquest the police and the probation service used taxpayers' money to pay for their solicitors."
"Our legal team did it out of the goodness of their heart, including the barrister, it didn't cost us a penny. But if it wasn't for them, we wouldn't have got the answers that we did get. We want a level playing field for families to get answers they deserve."
Government Response
The Ministry of Justice said it has implemented a new training package for court staff to improve risk assessment and advice to courts, alongside the implementation of improved training for all staff in risk management. The Probation Service is working closely with the police to boost information sharing and significantly strengthen risk assessments of offenders.
It also said the proposed Hillsborough Law, formally known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, would introduce non-means-tested legal aid for bereaved families requiring representation at inquests where a public authority is an interested person. A spokesperson said: "This was a horrific crime and our thoughts remain with Leah Croucher's family and friends. Since the failings in this case we have taken multiple steps to ensure probation officers have the resource and skill they need to manage sex offenders and protect the public."
"Sentencing decisions are made by independent judges in line with Sentencing Guidelines, but our message is clear – repeat offenders must face consequences that cut crime and protect the public. The Hillsborough Law will give bereaved families access to legal aid at any inquest where a public authority is an interested person."
