Mother of three stabbed to death had warned WPCs she was in danger

Colette Lynch, 24, was killed by former partner Percy Wright as he held their two-year-old daughter in his arms.

Two days earlier, Wright smashed a window, threatened to cut her throat and said he would return.

But two beat officers who listened to Miss Lynch's account of the incident "simply did nothing" to protect her, the inquiry, which was ordered by the Independent Police Complaints Commission, heard.

One of the officers, PC Charlotte Hall, admitted breaching the police code of conduct by "failing to perform her duties diligently and conscientiously".

The second officer, PC Theresa Cottingham, denies misconduct at the hearing at a hotel in Rugby, Warwickshire.

Miss Lynch was found with stab wounds to her heart and lung after police were called to a disturbance at her home in Rugby on February 3, 2005.

She was taken to hospital but was dead on arrival. Her mother, Helen, 58, who had run out of the house to protect her daughter, was also stabbed but survived.

Six months later Wright, 35, was convicted of the manslaughter of Miss Lynch on the grounds of diminished responsibility and made subject to a hospital order under the Mental Health Act.

PCs Hall and Cottingham were charged following an investigation by the IPCC.

This is the first time the commission-has ordered a force to conduct a public inquiry. The allegation against the two officers is brought under police service disciplinary powers.

Neither is alleged to have acted criminally. But they stand accused of a catalogue of errors including failing to follow their force's domestic violence policy, failing to properly record, investigate and manage the incident on February 1 and failing to take positive action to protect Miss Lynch.

Barrister Stephen Morley told the hearing that Wright was not arrested on February 1, despite having broken a window at Miss Lynch's home with a stick. This decision was taken later by a third officer who judged him to be of sound mind.

Police records showed that PC Cottingham, 38, and PC Hall, 30, arrived on the scene at 9.56pm, after Wright had left.

Miss Lynch told them she had cut herself while climbing out of the broken window to run for help.

PC Hall wrote 11 words in her pocketbook about the incident, while PC Cottingham summed it up in nine.

"No arrangements were made to see Colette on any other date ... no domestic violence form was filled out and no crime was logged or recorded," said Mr Morley.

"These two officers simply did nothing to protect Colette."

The hearing was told that Miss Lynch, who was described by her family as a caring, optimistic and gentle person, had two children from a previous relationship and one child by Wright.

The hearing continues.