Samantha Drummond, 27, murdered on 25 April 2022. Credit: Metropolitan Police
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Ian Lawrence, the president of the Probation Union says that he is “not surprised” about the “serious failings” found in the handling of the murderer, Joshua Jacques.
Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation, found that opportunities were missed to recall Jacques, 29, back to custody. Furthermore, a junior probation officer should not have been given his case.
Jacques, whose mental instability was known, attacked and murdered his girlfriend Samantha Drummond and her family with a knife in their home on 25 April 2022.
Tanysha-Ofori-Akuffo, 45, one of Jacques victims. Credit: Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police found the bodies of Denton Burke, 68, Dolet Hill, 64, Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, and Ms Drummond, 27, in Bermondsey.
Ian Lawerence, general secretary of the former National Association of Probation Officers (NAPO), told City News, the oversight was “dreadful” and “depressing”.
Grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, and her partner Denton Burke, 68, murdered by Jacques. Credit: Metropolitan Police
“None of our people go to work to see people hurt. If you’re coping with a case load of 160% to 180% why should people be surprised terrible things happen?”, he said.
Jacques’ frequent cannabis use was known to the probation service.
During his murder trial at the Old Bailey, it was revealed that Jacques used 3g of skunk cannabis a day. Furthermore, he was “well aware” of the impact the drug had on his mental health.
In February 2022, Jacques told a probation officer that he was “experiencing a decline in mental health”. Mr. Jones found no action was taken.
Lawrence says that the probation service “failed to recognise the needs” of Jacques as a particularly difficult case. This case illustrated that “probation is in crisis”.
The probation officer handling Jacques only finished training three months before being assigned the case. However, the review concluded that an “experienced officer” should have been allocated.
The probation watchdog review concluded that the Jacques case follows a pattern of issues “observed across the probation service in recent years”.
Joshua Jacques, 29, convicted for the quadruple murder of Samantha Drummond and her family. Credit: Metropolitan Police
Jacques was released on license from prison on 11 November 2021, after serving more than four years for drug-related offences.
Jacques posed a “high risk” of harm to the public. Mr. Jones says, “no risk assessment was completed for Jacques following his release”.
This “resulted in no risk management plan or sentence plan in the community being completed”, though Jacques exhibited “random aggression”, says Mr. Jones.
On Friday, Mr Justice Bryan sentenced Jacques at the Old Bailey to life imprisonment. He will be serving a minimum term of 45 years and 301 days.
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HeadlineExclusive: ‘serious failings’ linked to quadruple murder case ‘not a surprise’, says Probation Union
Short Headline'Serious failings' in murder case not surprising, says union boss
StandfirstNAPO general secretary says the case illustrates that 'probation is in crisis'.
Ian Lawrence, the president of the Probation Union says that he is “not surprised” about the “serious failings” found in the handling of the murderer, Joshua Jacques.
Martin Jones, Chief Inspector of Probation, found that opportunities were missed to recall Jacques, 29, back to custody. Furthermore, a junior probation officer should not have been given his case.
Jacques, whose mental instability was known, attacked and murdered his girlfriend Samantha Drummond and her family with a knife in their home on 25 April 2022.
Tanysha-Ofori-Akuffo, 45, one of Jacques victims. Credit: Metropolitan Police
The Metropolitan Police found the bodies of Denton Burke, 68, Dolet Hill, 64, Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, and Ms Drummond, 27, in Bermondsey.
Ian Lawerence, general secretary of the former National Association of Probation Officers (NAPO), told City News, the oversight was “dreadful” and “depressing”.
Grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, and her partner Denton Burke, 68, murdered by Jacques. Credit: Metropolitan Police
“None of our people go to work to see people hurt. If you’re coping with a case load of 160% to 180% why should people be surprised terrible things happen?”, he said.
Jacques’ frequent cannabis use was known to the probation service.
During his murder trial at the Old Bailey, it was revealed that Jacques used 3g of skunk cannabis a day. Furthermore, he was “well aware” of the impact the drug had on his mental health.
In February 2022, Jacques told a probation officer that he was “experiencing a decline in mental health”. Mr. Jones found no action was taken.
Lawrence says that the probation service “failed to recognise the needs” of Jacques as a particularly difficult case. This case illustrated that “probation is in crisis”.
The probation officer handling Jacques only finished training three months before being assigned the case. However, the review concluded that an “experienced officer” should have been allocated.
The probation watchdog review concluded that the Jacques case follows a pattern of issues “observed across the probation service in recent years”.
Joshua Jacques, 29, convicted for the quadruple murder of Samantha Drummond and her family. Credit: Metropolitan Police
Jacques was released on license from prison on 11 November 2021, after serving more than four years for drug-related offences.
Jacques posed a “high risk” of harm to the public. Mr. Jones says, “no risk assessment was completed for Jacques following his release”.
This “resulted in no risk management plan or sentence plan in the community being completed”, though Jacques exhibited “random aggression”, says Mr. Jones.
On Friday, Mr Justice Bryan sentenced Jacques at the Old Bailey to life imprisonment. He will be serving a minimum term of 45 years and 301 days.
