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Inquiry into dead officer release Bail case 'matter for judiciary'
(about 2 hours later)
An inquiry into the release on bail of a Met Police inspector accused of murder, who apparently killed himself and his mother-in-law, has begun. The Attorney General will not investigate a judge who freed a Met Police inspector who then apparently killed himself and his mother-in-law.
Garry Weddell, 47, was released from custody ahead of his trial accused of strangling his wife Sandra. After he was charged with strangling his wife Sandra, Garry Weddell, 47, was released from custody ahead of trial.
His body was found in a field near a shooting club in Herts on Saturday. His body was found near a shooting club in Hertfordshire. The body of his mother-in-law Traute Maxfield, 70, was found at a house in Gustard Wood.
The body of Mr Weddell's mother-in-law Traute Maxfield, 70, was found at a house in Gustard Wood. The Attorney General is carrying out the inquiry. The Attorney General's spokesman said it was a "matter for the judiciary".
Mr Weddells was found dead at Broomhills Shooting Club in Markyate, about 11 miles away from Mrs Maxfield's village home, on Saturday morning. Mr Weddell's wife Sandra, 44, was found dead in the garage of their family home in Lancot Avenue, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on 31 January last year.
The Attorney General launched an investigation into Judge John Bevan's decision to free the senior officer. Post-mortem tests revealed the nurse and exam invigilator was strangled with a cable tie.
It follows a written request from Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead. Mr Weddell was charged with her murder and faking her suicide but was later granted bail at the crown court by His Honour Judge Bevan QC.
A spokesman for Attorney General Baroness Scotland stressed the inquiry was "standard procedure" on receipt of such a letter from an MP.
MP Mike Penning said the courts should not put people at riskMP Mike Penning said the courts should not put people at risk
He emphasised that the judiciary were "totally separate" from the Attorney General. Mr Weddell was found dead in a field at Broomhills Shooting Club in Markyate, about 11 miles away from Mrs Maxfield's village home, on Saturday morning.
"We received that letter yesterday and that merely starts a process in which we gather information to look at essentially what our colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service have done, because the Attorney General superintends the CPS," he said. His mother-in-law's body was then also found. Both died from bullet wounds.
"It is quite important to point out the decision made was a judicial one and not a prosecutorial one." Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead, made a written request to the Attorney General Baroness Scotland calling for an inquiry.
A spokesman for the Attorney General said: "The Attorney General has received a letter from Mike Penning and will respond to that letter, but to suggest that this amounts to an investigation would be inaccurate. This remains a matter for the judiciary."
'Serious questions'
Mr Weddell was granted bail with a surety of £200,000, put up by his lawyer brother, on condition that he hand in his gun licence and stay away from his mother-in-law.Mr Weddell was granted bail with a surety of £200,000, put up by his lawyer brother, on condition that he hand in his gun licence and stay away from his mother-in-law.
His defence lawyers had argued he had complied with the investigation and, as a police officer, would be in danger in prison.His defence lawyers had argued he had complied with the investigation and, as a police officer, would be in danger in prison.
The grounds of Broomhills Shooting Club were searched
Judge Bevan said on Monday that he could not remember the circumstances of the application.Judge Bevan said on Monday that he could not remember the circumstances of the application.
Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said: "This case raises very serious questions and the public will find it extraordinary that anybody on a murder charge should be given bail."Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert said: "This case raises very serious questions and the public will find it extraordinary that anybody on a murder charge should be given bail."
The grounds of Broomhills Shooting Club were searched
Mr Weddell was a Police Federation representative based in Barnet, north London, with more than 25 years' police experience.Mr Weddell was a Police Federation representative based in Barnet, north London, with more than 25 years' police experience.
Hertfordshire Police confirmed Mr Weddell and his mother-in-law both died from gunshot wounds. He was due to go on trial in May.
Mr Weddell's wife Sandra, 44, was found dead in the garage of their family home in Lancot Avenue, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, on 31 January last year. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and Office for Judicial Complaints (OJC) also said they would not hold an inquiry into the judge's decision.
Post-mortem tests revealed the nurse and exam invigilator was strangled with a cable tie.
Mr Weddell was due to go on trial in May.