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Bailed man stabbed ex-girlfriend | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A man stabbed his ex-girlfriend to death hours after being freed from court, an inquest has heard. | |
Sean Francis, 37, killed Wendy Billing in front of her three-year-old son in September 2006 before jumping in front of a train and killing himself. | |
Francis ambushed her car, took the keys then stabbed her 11 times as she left the child's nursery, witnesses said. | |
He had been freed on bail by a judge after breaching a restraining order, West London Coroners' Court heard. | |
Francis stopped Miss Billing's car as she left their child's nursery in Gunnersbury, west London, on 14 September 2006, the court heard. | |
He snatched her keys from the ignition, then climbed on top of her and stabbed her 11 times while their child, watched from the passenger seat. | |
All of a sudden he was on top of her... Then I realised he had a knife Susan Ginger, witness | |
Witnesses said cocaine user Francis appeared to be in a "trance-like state" and did not speak during the attack. | |
Susan Ginger, who had been helping out at the nursery said: "All of a sudden he was on top of her. At first I thought he was thumping her. I got hold of his hoodie and tried to pull him off but couldn't. Then I realised he had a knife." | |
Miss Ginger managed to snatch the child to safety from the car before Francis drove off. | |
She added: "I said it's ok Wendy... Then she closed her eyes." | |
Murder threat | |
The car was later found abandoned at Hanwell station containing the knife and one of the child's shoes. | |
The court heard Francis had a history of abusing Miss Billing and had been given a restraining order in June 2006. | |
But he was twice released by magistrates and then a judge in the days before the attack. | |
He had been given a conditional discharge by Ealing magistrates after kicking his son and attacking Miss Billing three days before the stabbing. | |
He threatened to kill Miss Billing on 12 September, when he leapt from behind a bush and said: "One of us is going to die and it's not going to be me." | |
There are of course areas where we can learn from this case Metropolitan Police statement | |
Francis was arrested and held overnight by police but was released on bail by Brentford County Court the next morning. | |
Within 24 hours Miss Billing was dead. | |
The Metropolitan Police reviewed their decision not to charge Francis with making threats to kill on 12 September. | |
A statement said: "We were unable to protect Miss Billing from Francis' persistent attempts to harm both Wendy and himself and together with the courts we have reviewed our actions | |
"There are of course areas where we can learn from this case and continue to work with other justice agencies on the way forward." | |
The coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. | The coroner recorded a verdict of unlawful killing. |
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