Killing of Gracie Spinks

Gracie Spinks
Born19th October 1997
Old Whittington, Derbyshire England
Died18 June 2021
Derbyshire, England
Cause of deathHomicide
OccupationLifeguard
Known forVictim of murder by a stalker

Gracie Spinks was a lifeguard from Old Whittington who was murdered by a former colleague.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Background

Spinks was a swimming instructor and lifeguard but had been working as a warehouse operative at the time of her death.[1][2] She was a keen horse rider and kept a horse at Blue Lodge Farm in Duckmanton.[2][6]

In February 2021 she had reported a former colleague, Michael Sellers, to police for stalking.[6] He had been her supervisor at a warehouse where she once worked.[6]

Discovery

Gracie was last seen alive by her mother at 7:30am on 18 June 2021, when she left home to tend to her horse.[1] She was found unconscious in the horse's field after 8am and a man was seen running away.[2] Initially it was thought she had been kicked by the horse, but paramedics realised she had been attacked and called police.[2] She was declared dead at 8:50am.[2]

Sellers was found dead in a field less than a mile away, at 11am the same day.[2]

Inquests

Separate inquests were held into the two deaths.[2]

A post-mortem examination determined that Spinks died from a stab wound that severed an artery and her spine.[2] There was no evidence she was sexually assaulted.[2]

It is believed by police that Michael Sellers was responsible for her stab wounds, and that he killed himself afterwards.[6]

Police conduct

After the incident, Derbyshire police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to their previous contact with Gracie.[2] After an investigation disciplinary notices were served on five police officers.[6]

Two were served with notices over their handling of her allegations of stalking against Michael Sellers.[6] A sergeant and two constables were served with misconduct orders over the steps they took after discovering a bag of weapons which included a hammer, an axe and knives in May 2021 near the site where Gracie was eventually stabbed.[6]

Her family has campaigned for "Gracie's law", which would increase funding for investigating stalking cases.[6] Her parents said she was failed by police.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Gracie Spinks: 23-year-old died from stab wound to neck". BBC News. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Murray, Jessica (30 June 2021). "Gracie Spinks died from stab wound to neck, inquest hears". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Gracie Spinks: IOPC investigates police handling of stalking allegations". BBC News. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  4. ^ Giordano, Chiara (20 June 2021). "Gracie Spinks: Police probe suspected murder-suicide in Derbyshire village". The Independent. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  5. ^ a b Mathers, Matt (20 October 2021). "Gracie Spinks: Woman murdered by 'stalker' was failed by police, parents say". The Independent. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Murray, Jessica (26 November 2021). "Gracie Spinks death: officers served notices over handling of stalking report". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 November 2021.