Dad who murdered 23-month-old son, girlfriend had TWICE been detained by police (Holbrook, England, United Kingdom)

We posted on this case before, back when it was reported that dad ANDREW CAIRNS had been detained by the police once before. Now it turns out he had been detained TWICE for making death threats against his pregnant ex-girlfriend and their toddler son. But none of it made any difference, because once this "loony" was out, he very deliberately locked all the windows and doors at the girlfriend's home before he murdered them in cold blood. Not exactly a crime of "snapping" or "passion," is it?

Unfortunately, this has become the rule in terms of law enforcement. Make a vague threat against a politician, even if you have no means of carrying it out, and you're detained indefinitely. Make a specific threat ("I'm going to kill her!") against your wife or girlfriend and/or kids, with all the capability in the world in carrying it out, and the authorities say they're hands are tied and they just can't do anything. They "assess" you then release you on bail, and sternly tell you to be good boy. Total bullsh**.

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/news/Killer-twice-detained-police/article-2272296-detail/article.html

Father who murdered son and ex-girlfriend had twice been detained by police
Rachel Slack

A FATHER who murdered his toddler son and former girlfriend had been detained by police twice in the week before the killings.

Only six days before Andrew Cairns stabbed pregnant Rachael Slack and their 23-month-old son, Auden, he was detained under the Mental Health Act and assessed but released.

The next day he was arrested for threatening to kill 38-year-old Rachael and, after further risk assessments, was bailed and told not to contact his ex-partner.

But on Wednesday, 44-year-old Cairns went to Rachael's Holbrook cottage, where it is understood he locked all doors and windows before launching his attack.

Cairns, who is believed to have suffered a nervous breakdown two years ago, had been a patient of Derbyshire Mental Health Services NHS Trust.

His neighbours said he was visited frequently at his Ripley home by Rachael, who helped him with household chores.

But they said he became withdrawn and depressed when she stopped visiting a couple of weeks before the murders.

The case echoes that of Derby student Halimah Ahmed, who was murdered by Khalid Peshawan.
He had also been under the care of the mental health trust.

Now, Halimah's parents have called for a public inquiry to find out if the Holbrook tragedy could have been prevented.

And Amber Valley MP Nigel Mills said he would be raising the issue with the Home Secretary to see if lessons could be learned.

The police's involvement with Cairns came to light after an investigation into the Holbrook deaths was launched by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

IPCC Commissioner Amerdeep Somal said: "Police had some contact with both Andrew Cairns and Rachael Slack in the days leading up to these awful events.

"Our investigation will look carefully at the extent of the police contact, the decision-making by officers, the involvement of mental health professionals and the risk assessments carried out.

"We will examine whether Derbyshire police in these circumstances followed relevant policies and procedures for handling domestic violence cases."

She added that the deaths had "understandably shocked and concerned the community".

"It is right that we undertake a thorough and independent investigation into the actions of the police and others to establish whether or not any more could reasonably have been done to prevent them."

Cairns, of Ripley, was first detained by police on May 26, under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act, following concerns about his behaviour.

Derbyshire police refused to reveal details of the detention but the section of the Act allows officers to detain people suspected of being mentally ill in public places and convey them to a place of safety. This could be a hospital or police station.

The IPCC said that, following the detention, Cairns was subjected to a mental health assessment but was then allowed to return home.

The next day, May 27, Rachael called police after he threatened to kill her. He was arrested and held in custody overnight but released the next day, on the condition that he did not contact Rachael.

But five days later, police discovered the bodies of pregnant Rachael and Cairns at her cottage in Well Yard.

The estranged couple's young son was found alive inside the cottage and was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries but later died.

The mental health trust said it was carrying out an internal investigation.

MP Mr Mills yesterday met with police and mental health chiefs and said he welcomed their investigations. "It's a terrible tragedy and my thoughts and sympathies are with the families and friends," he said.

"It is especially tragic when there is the senseless death of a young child.

"I welcome the fact that the IPCC has been called in to review and I know that other agencies are carrying out similar reviews.

"I have also had discussions with various people involved to see, if anything did go wrong, what can be learnt and to make sure a similar tragedy never happens again. I would also like to pay some tribute to the police officers who broke into the house and witnessed the appalling scenes. It must have been very distressing for them.

"It seems this could have been prevented but the review is what we need to see if anything could have been done.

"It is a horrible incident that we hope never happens again."

Halimah Ahmed's parents have called for more information about the Trust's involvement in the case.

An independent report published in January found that Peshawan's condition had been "partially treated" at best by the trust.

Mrs Ahmed, 43, who lives with her husband in Gladstone Street, Normanton, said: "There needs to be a public inquiry. That would expose whether they're actually making changes.

"Their care in the community strategy just isn't working. It needs to be reviewed and overhauled and that can only be done if this is made public."