Shooting Victim’s Family Praise Express & Star For Three Year Investigation
The family of a promising young footballer who was killed in a shooting in South Staffordshire in 2002 have praised the Express & Star for its three-year investigation into police handling of the case.
BBC Radio 4’s File on 4 broadcast a package this week building on the revelations by the Express & Star’s inquiries into the killing of Kevin Nunes who was shot five times in a gangland killing.
The 15-year-old murder investigation led to five men being jailed and then acquitted on appeal.
Staffordshire Police has been criticised for its handling of the case and, last month, the Independent Police Complaints Commission released its investigator’s full report into the scandal nearly three years after its inquiry was completed.
The report found that senior officers, including three chief constables, had a case to answer for misconduct or gross misconduct, but ultimately no disciplinary proceedings went ahead.
As well as working with a police whistle-blower, the Express & Star’s investigation into the case included a year-long Freedom of Information drive to get a dossier of failings from the case made public for the first time.
Praising the Express & Star’s investigation, Leanne Williams, who was Kevin’s girlfriend when he was killed, told the newspaper this week: “The last four years have been fantastic. The Express & Star has wanted to know how the family feels, how it has affected us. They have shown more interest than the police and IPCC together.
“I am grateful because it has opened up a lot of doors. We really appreciate it.
“We felt like our cause was disappearing, and that in the eyes of the police and the IPCC nobody cared. I definitely believe the Express & Star helped that massively. I totally believe the Express & Star’s input put a fire under it and made the authorities stand up and listen, and forced them into action.
“I’m glad somebody held onto it regardless, and I appreciate it massively, I really do.”
Her brother Benjamin said: “Without the Express & Star we would not have got this far. We would not be here where we are today. We left it to the powers that be, but the only people who wanted to help us was the Express & Star. I am grateful for the work they have done and they have given the family strength and belief that there are people out there that care.
“The Express & Star, the local paper for the local people, has been a fantastic help and we are really grateful.”
The E&S’s coverage was also praised by Government Chief Whip Gavin Williamson, who is the MP for South Staffordshire where the murder happened back in 2002. He said: “In my seven years as an MP this case is one of the most disturbing I have heard in terms of incompetence and a lack of desire to deal with failure in the police service.
“It goes to show the key role regional and local newspapers play in holding authorities to account and giving a voice to the voiceless.”
Express & Star investigations editor Rob Golledge said: “While nobody has yet been held accountable for this case, the facts have been aired in public following the persistence of the Express & Star.
“The police handling of the Kevin Nunes inquiry raises serious questions which have only been posed by the Express & Star over a number of years.
“As the leading publisher for the region, we take seriously our responsibility to hold those in public office to account.
“The coverage is the culmination of years of work by the editorial team so it is pleasing that the family and leading politicians recognise the importance of our investigation.
“Our readers can draw their own conclusion, thanks in no small part to the bravery of the police whistle blower who has worked with the Express & Star.”