Police cleared of wrongdoing in run up to double murder (From Echo)

Police cleared of wrongdoing in run up to double murder

2:44pm Thursday 28th June 2012 in Basildon By Jon Austin

POLICE have been cleared of any wrongdoing over their actions in the run up to the murder of two Southend men.

Christopher Line, 29, was this week sentenced to a minimum of 35 years in prison for executing Shane Hill, 20, and David Castell, 29, last march at Willow Park traveller site in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

Mr Hill, from Stromness Road, and Mr Castell, 29, of no fixed abode had gone to the site to set fire to caravans owned by Line’s boss sam Vinden, 39.

Suffolk Police immediately referred itself to the Independent Police Complaint Commission following the murders, because it had been in contact with Line and Mr Vinden just four days before and issued official warnings their lives were in danger.

Yet Ipswich Crown Court heard Line and Mr Vinden refused any police help.

An IPCC spokesman said: “The investigation found no evidence of any misconduct by police officers and found that the force had acted appropriately in their contact with individuals prior to the shooting. The findings have been shared and discussed with Suffolk Police.