SERIOUS concerns have been raised over a Cheshire Police decision to unconditionally bail the ‘body in the boot’ killer – two weeks before he beat his estranged wife to death in a sadistic attack.

John Yates murdered wife Barbara Yates in July 2012, kidnapping her from her home on King George Crescent in Padgate and subjecting her to a brutal attack in the Warrington countryside that left her ‘unrecognisable’ due to 200 injuries to her face.

He then drove her body to a police station in North Wales.

A multi-agency review just published has revealed four major failings by the police and health services.

Barbara’s sister Cath Huddlestone, speaking to the Warrington Guardian this week, said that Cheshire Police had ‘failed her on every level’.

The biggest concern highlighted in the report was the decision to bail Yates following an incident on July 5, 2012, when he broke into Barbara’s house and set fire to 35 pairs of her shoes. 

The incident was recorded as burglary meaning Yates, formerly of Derby Drive, Padgate, was released on unconditional bail, despite there being a ‘critical marker’ on Barbara’s address due to previous incidents. Yates murdered Barbara on July 18.

According to review chairman Gavin Butler, the offence should have been recognised as domestic abuse. 

“This decision (to bail) appears to have stemmed from a view of this incident as an isolated burglary, rather than as a domestic abuse incident in a long series of domestic abuse incidents, where the risks appear to have been escalating,” said the report. 

“While it cannot be said this would have presented the death, it is clear the risks around this decision did not inform the decision to grant bail.”

Barbara was wrongly allowed to visit Yates in Cheshire Police custody on two occasions, and he persuaded her to withdraw the complaint.

The CPS then decided to drop the charges.

The report also revealed Yates was classed as a ‘serious’ mental health risk, having being diagnosed with depression, and feelings of anger and suicide in January 2012. However the killer was discharged by mental health bosses weeks before the murder. 

Twenty eight actions have been recommended to various agencies for improvement.

BARBARA Yates was failed on every level by Cheshire police. So said her sister after a report raised concerns over how Mrs Yates’ killer husband was released from custody two weeks before the murder.

Reacting to the domestic-homicide review, Mrs Yates’ sister Cath Huddlestone said: “The police definitely failed her. In June before she was killed he (John Yates) put an axe through her door.

“I stayed with her because she was frightened. I was more concerned for her than the police were. That was the last time I spoke to my sister. The next thing was I got a phone call to say she had been killed.

“The police could have put more protection in place for her. He should not have been bailed. Barbara could be here now.”

Mrs Huddlestone said she had not been informed a review into her sister’s death had taken place. The review highlighted concerns over police handling of the case, including a decision to release John Yates on bail weeks before the attack.
Cheshire Constabulary confirmed no disciplinary action has been taken in response to the review.

A spokesman said: “The constabulary recognises that that the incident of burglary should have been regarded first and primarily as a domestic-abuse incident and not as a burglary.

“The issue has been addressed through individual advice to the officer involved in the decision making, and organisationally through refreshing all officers’ awareness of the force’s domestic-abuse policy. The constabulary recognises that Adult A (Mrs Yates) should not have been allowed to visit Adult B (John Yates) in custody. Processes have now been changed to prevent victims from visiting perpetrators while in custody.”

The report revealed that John Yates was discharged from mental-health services in June 2012, a month before the murder.

A spokesman for 5 Boroughs said: “An internal investigation was conducted at the time, which concluded that further attempts could have been made to liaise with other agencies to engage Adult B following his discharge from the access and advice team.

“We acknowledge and apologise for this, and have completed the action plan which was developed to implement this learning. We accept the findings and recommendations of the independent reviewers who concluded in their report that the incident was not predictable.”