Police who seized phone of hairdresser stabbed to death by abusive ex ‘knew she was in danger’ weeks before murder

COPS who seized the phone of a hairdresser stabbed to death by her abusive ex knew she was in danger weeks before she was murdered, her son told an inquest. Katrina O’Hara, 44, had complained to police that Stuart Thomas, 53, had threatened to kill her. Her son Dean Stark, 29, claimed he and his […]

COPS who seized the phone of a hairdresser stabbed to death by her abusive ex knew she was in danger weeks before she was murdered, her son told an inquest.

Katrina O’Hara, 44, had complained to police that Stuart Thomas, 53, had threatened to kill her.

PA:Press Association

Her son Dean Stark, 29, claimed he and his brother Kyle reported Thomas to police after he made the death threats.

Thomas stabbed Katrina to death after turning up at her barber shop in Blandford, Dorset in January, 2016.

In an inquest statement, Dean claimed officers took “no action” when his mum told them Thomas had possibly breached a ban on contacting her when his daughter sent her a message.

Dean said: “We were told he’d be arrested but if he was bailed we would be notified in advance.

“But then on New Year’s Day my sister Morgan got a message from his daughter saying mum should drop the charges.

“This was in breach of his bail which said he couldn’t contact her directly or indirectly.

“As far as I’m aware police didn’t take action and he killed my mum.”

Thomas was sentenced to 26 years for murder.

Dorset Police Sergeant Adam Aggas had seized Katrina’s phone as evidence of harassment.

But the mum-of-three couldn’t call police when Thomas began stabbing her.

Sgt Aggas said police did not have the resources to provide her with a replacement mobile phone.

He said: “Dorset Police did not have the facility to do it at that time but following a report we now have a supply of pay-as-you-go mobile phones for that purpose. It means they can contact people.

“The force has learned from this incident by now providing phones.”

Sun Online contacted Dorset Police for comment.

The inquest at Bournemouth Town Hall continues.

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