Police ‘ignored warning signs’ before Marion Millican murder

A number of police officers face disciplinary action for failing to act on a warning that the man who murdered his former lover had a gun and had made threats to kill her.

By The Newsroom

Published 4th Jul 2012, 10:01 BST

Fred McClenaghan was found guilty yesterday (Tuesday) of murdering Coleraine woman Marion Millican.

A spokesman for the Police Ombudsman’s Office told a Belfast newspaper there was “sufficient warning to allow police to have taken more action”.

The trial was told McClenaghan had admitted during counselling he had thoughts about killing himself and Mrs Millican.

He also admitted he had recently assaulted her.

The Northern Health Trust has confirmed this information was passed on to the PSNI, in line with standard practice.

“The care and treatment given to Mr McClenaghan by the Trust was both timely and appropriate,” it said in a statement to the BBC.

“While some aspects of process could have been improved, none of these matters would have had a bearing on the tragic outcome.”