Force cleared over response to worried woman just days before her murder
West Yorkshire Police “acted appropriately” when interacting with a woman just days before she was brutally murdered by her husband, an investigation has found.
Sinead Wooding was found dead in Leeds last May after she was beaten, stabbed and burned by husband Akshar Ali.
Ms Wooding, 26, had reported malicious calls and texts from Ali to West Yorkshire Police, which offered advice and tried to visit her at home the following day.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has now found officers and call handlers followed proper procedures and did not contribute to her death.
Ali, 27, was sentenced to a minimum 22 years’ imprisonment in January after being found guilty of Ms Wooding’s murder.
On May 10 last year, he sent malicious messages to her while claiming to be at the couple’s shared home in Leeds.
Ms Wooding reported the calls to West Yorkshire Police and a staff member gave her advice.
An hour later, a second call handler contacted her to confirm she was safe.
Officers were dispatched to her home on May 11 to check on her wellbeing but were unable to get in touch.
Two days later, the force visited her home again and was told by Ali that she was not in and regularly went missing for days at a time.
Ali contacted officers on May 14 claiming he had tried to call Ms Wooding but was unable to reach her.
Her body was discovered in woodland later that day.
Ms Wooding was attacked with a hammer and screwdriver at the home of Ali’s accomplice, Yasmin Ahmed, in Reginald Mount, Potternewton.
The pair then set fire to the body with the aid of 25-year-old Vicky Briggs and dumped it at Alwoodley Crags.
The investigating officer described the attack as “the most horrific and brutal” he had witnessed in his 28-year career.
IOPC regional director Miranda Biddle said: “Anyone who followed the trial of Akshar Ali cannot fail to have been moved by the senseless brutality of Sinead Wooding’s death, and our thoughts are with her family and friends.
“In analysing all the available evidence, including detailed witness statements from all those involved, our investigation concluded that West Yorkshire Police followed all policies and procedures appropriate to the circumstances at the time and did not cause or contribute to Ms Wooding’s death.”