The police missed the wife who was brutally killed by a jealous husband, the investigation reports

The investigation reported that the woman whose husband brutally killed was detained by the police.

Lucy-Ann Rushton, 30, was “let down” by officers who visited her in the weeks before her death at the hands of Sean Dyson, Lucy’s mother Myra Simpson said.

She also criticized hospital staff for failing to notice her daughter’s injuries when she sought help, saying she had “lost trust” in the organizations that were supposed to help her.

Ms Rushton was killed on June 23, 2019, after Dyson kicked, punched and stomped on her as she lay on the ground, leaving her with 37 broken ribs, a broken sternum and a collapsed lung.

An inquest jury was told this week that a month before the “brutal and horrific” fatal attacks, her brother went to the police to report Dyson for taking pictures of himself sexually assaulting his wife on her 30th birthday.

A year earlier, police were called to a row between a couple at a hotel in Bournemouth when they overheard an argument in their room with Dyson calling the mother-of-five a “drunken whore”.

One guest found Ms Rushton’s cleaning manager in the corridor with blood on her face and hands and attracted the attention of security, a jury at Winchester Coroner’s Court in Hampshire was told.

Jurors were told the incidents were part of a history of abuse by Dyson, with other incidents witnessed by family and friends as he assaulted Ms Rushton.

The inquest also heard that he once jumped out at her from behind some bins and said it was so easy to kill her.

In June 2019, Dyson killed Ms Rushton in the early hours of the morning at her home in Andover, Hampshire, while children were present.

Ms Simpson told the inquest that she was “particularly angry” about the row in Bournemouth and that the police “didn’t do their job properly”.

In a statement read out by coroner’s officer Patrick Parker, she said: “I don’t think the police have protected Lucy, I am particularly angry about the incident in Bournemouth.

“They didn’t do their job properly, the same can be said of the police who saw Lucy before she died. I have lost faith in these organizations.

“Lucy let down so many different professionals who could have intervened.

“Lucy went to the hospital several times, I want to know why the hospital did not notice that the injuries could have been domestic violence.

“I want to know whether both forces followed their policies on domestic violence.

“Why didn’t the police think of prosecuting (Dyson) without evidence from Lucy herself?”

“What changes have police made to better protect women from their abusive partners?”

Ms Simpson also told the inquest Ms Rushton was in an abusive relationship and had lost contact with some of her children, which meant she feared losing custody again if she complained to Dyson.

She said: “Losing contact with her children was very difficult for Lucy, it showed that her children could be taken away and she lived in fear that it could happen again.

This made her worry that if she talked about Dyson or complained, she would lose her children.

“The abuse she suffered meant Lucy changed from the girl I knew. My son Luke went to the police to report Lucy’s abuse.

“The police went to Lucy’s the next day, but the investigation never yielded any results.

“Lucy’s death has affected me and my family… I used to see her every weekend, I miss the moments I had with my daughter every day.”

Describing the events to the jury, Assistant Coroner for Hampshire Darren Stewart said the attack which killed Ms Rushton was “brutal and horrific”.

He said: “On September 8, 2018, police attended the Britannia Hotel in Bournemouth where an altercation had taken place between Ms Rushton and Dyson.

“The following year, on May 30, 2019, Ms Rushton’s brother, Luke Simpson, reported to Hampshire police that she had been physically and sexually abused by Dyson.

“Due to these allegations Miss Rushton was visited by the police, you will hear evidence that the police were involved and visited Ms Rushton’s home.

“You will also hear evidence from witnesses … about the comments and observations that were made and whether any action was taken as a result.

“Finally on 23 June 2019 Ms Rushton was subjected to a brutal and horrific attack at their home in Andover, Ms Rushton sadly died from her injuries.

“Police and an ambulance attended and Miss Rushton died at the scene.”

At the inquest, Coroner’s Officer Mr Parker read a tribute to Ms Rushton’s family.

Ms Rushton’s 19-year-old son, also called Luke, said: “My mum was a very caring person, I have very fond memories of her taking us on holiday to Spain.

“I will remember her as someone who made people laugh, she was a wonderful mother.”

The tribute continued: “Lucy was killed in the most disturbing way. All we have are memories and photos.”

“She was the best mother and loved her children more than anything in the world. (Dyson) destroyed and divided our family.”

Dyson was found guilty of Ms Rushton’s murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 17 years.

The investigation, which is expected to last three weeks, is ongoing.