Sex offender monitoring

Following the tragic murder of Leah Croucher, coroner Tom Osborne has called for a 'fundamental review' of the monitoring processes for sex offenders in the community. Croucher, 19, disappeared in February 2019, with her remains discovered in a loft in Milton Keynes in October 2022, having been unlawfully killed by convicted sex offender Neil Maxwell, who was under supervision at the time. Maxwell, assessed as a 'medium risk' despite a history of sexual offenses, failed to comply with probation terms and ultimately took his own life after Croucher's disappearance. Osborne highlighted serious deficiencies in the supervision system, including an inexperienced officer and inadequate communication between police and probation services. He warned that without immediate action, future deaths could occur, as Maxwell was known to be a danger to females. Croucher's family expressed outrage over the authorities' failings, emphasizing that Maxwell should have been imprisoned as a repeat offender.