PM pledges review over bail death

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The prime minister has said necessary changes to the law will be made after a Met Police inspector on bail apparently killed himself and his mother-in-law.

Gordon Brown told MPs it was necessary to question why Garry Weddell, 47, was freed in the first place.

Mr Weddell was released from custody ahead of his trial accused of the murder of his wife Sandra.

His body was found in woods in Herts and the body of Traute Maxfield, 70, was found at her home 11 miles away.

Mr Weddell's wife was found dead in the garage of their family home in Lancot Avenue, Dunstable, Beds, on 31 January last year.

The question then is: 'Why bail was granted?' PM Gordon Brown

Post-mortem tests revealed the 44-year-old was strangled with a cable tie.

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. He was due to go on trial in May.

Mr Weddell was found dead in a field near Broomhills Shooting Club in Markyate on Saturday morning.

His mother-in-law's body was then also found at her home in Gustard Wood. Both died from bullet wounds.

On Tuesday, the Attorney-General said the judge would not be investigated following a written request from Mike Penning, MP for Hemel Hempstead 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."

Law change

Shadow justice secretary Nick Herbert has also called for an investigation.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Brown said: "This is a set of tragic circumstances and almost very difficult to contemplate - that someone was let out on bail and then apparently murdered, or is alleged to have murdered, his mother-in-law and then took his own life.

"The question then is: 'Why bail was granted?'

"This was a decision of the judge. He set an amount of money, at the same time of course he probably took into account that the man was a policeman.

"These are the things we have got to look at.

"If there are changes in the law necessary, we will make them."