Second inquiry into force’s contact with violent killer
A second investigation has been launched into how North Wales Police handled a man who violently murdered a retired wine bar owner shortly after his release from prison.
Jordan Davidson is currently serving a 30-year sentence over the death of 67-year-old Nicholas Churton in 2017.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is already looking into North Wales Police’s contact with Davidson in the weeks leading up to the fatal attack.
A new investigation, announced on Wednesday (May 30), will now examine how it managed Davidson following his release from HMP Parc in December 2016.
It will look at whether the force complied with local and national policies while dealing with incidents concerning Davidson, and when liaising with other agencies involved in his post-release offender management.
Davidson was released on licence on December 9, 2016 following a three-year sentence for burglary and attempted burglary offences.
On March 23, he launched a violent attack on Mr Churton in his one-bedroom Wrexham flat, assaulting his victim with a hammer and machete.
He was eventually arrested in the early hours of March 29 when North Wales Police officers discovered him hiding in the back seat of a vehicle used in a violent robbery.
Davidson attacked the officers with a claw hammer and was only subdued after multiple uses of CS spray.
While being held on remand, he slashed a prison guard’s throat with a makeshift weapon fashioned from disposable razors.
In November, he pleaded guilty to a string of crimes including murder, GBH and robbery and was handed a minimum sentence of 23 years and three months.
This punishment was increased to 30 years in February following a trial in which the judge claimed his initial sentence was “far too low”.
IOPC Wales director Catrin Evans said: “My thoughts continue to be with Mr Churton’s family and those affected by his death.”
