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Monday, 14 January 2008, 17:29 GMT

Police officer death inquiry call

Gary Weddell An MP wants an inquiry into why a Met police inspector charged with murdering his wife apparently killed himself and his mother-in-law while on bail.

Garry Weddell's body was found near Broomhills Shooting Club, in Markyate, Hertfordshire, on Saturday.

The body of Traute Maxfield, 70, was found in Gustard Wood. Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead wants to know why Mr Weddell was not held in custody.

The Judicial Communications Office said conditional bail had been granted.

Mr Penning told BBC News he would be writing to the Attorney General to ask why a bail surety had been set at £200,000, whether or not the police had objected and whether there had been any objections from the family.

"Two people would be alive today if the judge had not given bail to this gentleman"
Mike Penning MP

"There are so many questions we need to know now as to why this man was not in custody when he was facing such serious charges," said Mr Penning.

"We need to know that the public is being protected and there weren't mistakes made.

"I know I am pre-empting what the police inquiries are and I do apologise for that but it does seem rather obvious what has happened.

"Two people would be alive today if the judge had not given bail to this gentleman."

Mike Penning MP

The Judicial Communications Office said there was a general right to bail under the Bail Act 1976 unless the case fell within specific criteria.

"In this case the Judge, having heard the evidence, concluded that the defendant should be granted conditional bail," it said in a statement.

"The conditions included a surety of £200,000 provided before release, conditions on where he must reside and on reporting to the police."

Hertfordshire Police have confirmed Weddell and his mother-in-law both died from gunshot wounds.

A spokesman for the office of the Attorney General said they had not yet received the request for an inquiry so it was too early to comment.

The body of Mrs Maxfield was found at a house in Gustard Wood on Saturday afternoon after police discovered Mr Weddell's body.

Gun licence

Mr Weddell had been due to go on trial in May charged with the murder of his wife, Sandra, whose body was found in the garage of the family home in Dunstable on 31 January last year.

Post-mortem tests revealed the 44-year-old nurse had been strangled with a cable tie.

Mr Weddell was granted bail with a surety of £200,000, put up by his lawyer brother, on condition that he hand in his gun licence and stay away from his mother-in-law.

His defence lawyers had argued he had complied with the investigation and, as a police officer, would be in danger in prison.

Hertfordshire Police said they would not be commenting on the investigation at the moment.




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Related to this story:
Inspector body link to dead woman (13 Jan 08 |  England )
Officer bailed on murder charge (27 Sep 07 |  Beds/Bucks/Herts )
Officer remanded on murder charge (13 Jul 07 |  Beds/Bucks/Herts )
Officer charged over wife's death (27 Jun 07 |  Beds/Bucks/Herts )

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Metropolitan Police
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