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Store gunman 'threatened to kill' | Store gunman 'threatened to kill' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
The gunman who murdered Harvey Nichols employee Clare Bernal at the store in west London had threatened to kill her, her ex-flatmate has told an inquest. | |
Nataliya Sarapionova said she was so worried about the behaviour of former security guard Michael Pech that she went to the store security manager. | Nataliya Sarapionova said she was so worried about the behaviour of former security guard Michael Pech that she went to the store security manager. |
Ms Bernal was shot several times by her former boyfriend at the store in 2005. | |
Ms Bernal's family, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, had earlier called for stalking to be taken more seriously. | Ms Bernal's family, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, had earlier called for stalking to be taken more seriously. |
Ms Sarapionova said Pech had harassed and followed Ms Bernal after the pair broke up. | |
She said Pech made the death threat when Ms Bernal told him she would report him if he did not leave her alone. | |
"If you report me, I will kill you," Pech allegedly told Ms Bernal, according to Ms Sarapionova. | |
'Only evidence' | 'Only evidence' |
After shooting Ms Bernal on 13 September, the 30-year-old Slovakian shot himself dead in front of shoppers in the Knightsbridge store. | |
The store's security manager, Brian Lenehan, told the inquest he had been "deeply concerned" for Ms Bernal. | |
Mr Lenehan was worried enough to move Pech from Ms Bernal's floor and suggested she call the police immediately. | |
Mr Lenehan said the store launched an internal investigation, looking at text messages Pech had sent her after they broke up. They also interviewed some of Ms Bernal's friends. | |
The Westminster Coroner's Court was told the police did not take the evidence gathered by the store, but instead chose to mount their own investigation. | The Westminster Coroner's Court was told the police did not take the evidence gathered by the store, but instead chose to mount their own investigation. |
"At the time the only evidence the police had in their possession was Clare's say-so about it," Mr Lenehan said. | |
'Low risk' | |
"We had information from several other members of staff which built a bigger picture. That might have caused them to have greater concern about it, I don't know." | "We had information from several other members of staff which built a bigger picture. That might have caused them to have greater concern about it, I don't know." |
The police defended their handling of the case saying Pech was considered "low risk" compared to other domestic violence cases. | |
"When I was speaking to Clare I was constantly making evaluations of the situation," Pc Bibi Shah, who dealt with the case, told the court. | |
"I assessed the risk as low in comparison to other crimes I was dealing with." | |
The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |
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