10:12am Wednesday 3rd March 2010
AN inquest into the murder of a Winchester mum has dramatically collapsed at an estimated cost of more than £100,000 to the taxpayer.
On day seven of the inquest into the death of Naomi Bryant, coroner Grahame Short told jurors new evidence had come to light.
The jury was discharged yesterday by the coroner, who then set a new inquest date for January 31, 2011.
The new inquest is expected to last seven weeks.
One witness described the collapse as a “catastrophe” and said it was a “huge waste” of public money.
Central Hampshire coroner Mr Short, explaining his decision to the jury, said: “During the course of yesterday further evidence came to light.
“As a consequence of that, I have come to the decision I will need to call further witnesses and some of them that we have already heard from will need questions put to them again.
“With great reluctance I have come to the conclusion that I have no alternative but to discharge you from your duties and reconvene with these further witnesses.
“It is most unfortunate and I feel you have had some flavour of the issues that have arisen from this case, that you would have been keen to participate.”
The inquest was stopped as senior Hampshire probation officer Catherine Morgan was giving her evidence about why Anthony Rice, 48, who murdered Winchester mother Ms Bryant in 2005, had been released on temporary licence to Elderfield House in Otterbourne, despite having 22 previous convictions including rape, sexual assault and making threats to kill.
He also had one conviction for a serious sex assault on a five-year-old girl but was allowed to stay at the hostel, which was just 100 yards from Otterbourne Primary School.
Jurors had heard of a number of mistakes by Hampshire Probation Service and the trust that runs Elderfield House that left the violent rapist with almost ‘total freedom’ in the months before the murder.
It is understood the new evidence relates to why Rice was turned down for a place at the Box Tree Cottage Hostel in Bradford, West Yorkshire.
The court heard how several public agencies in Yorkshire and staff from the hostel, were aware of his previous sexual convictions against children. But this crucial information was not passed to staff at Elderfield House or Hampshire probation officers, who were unaware of his convictions against children.
Outlining his plans for next year’s inquest, which will have a new jury, Mr Short said the scope of the inquest would be widened.
He said it would investigate whether ignorance of Rice’s previous convictions affected the timing of his release and the conditions imposed on his licence.
He added: “This is an unusual case and we are all on a learning curve. I hope that we will be able to conclude this inquest to the satisfaction of all those concerned.”
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