Murdered Worthing woman’s family in High Court battle for answers

The family of a woman from Worthing who was murdered by her abusive partner will be taking their fight for answers to the High Court.
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Susan Nicholson was murdered on April 17, 2011 by double-killer Robert Trigg, who is serving 25 years in prison.

Her parents have been pursuing a legal bid to hold a full inquest into her death, in order to question Sussex Police officers involved about what could have been done to prevent their daughter’s death.

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Today (March 17), lawyers representing the family said the bid, called a judicial review, will take place at the Royal Courts of Justice on March 24 and 25.

Peter and Elizabeth Skelton with a picture of their daughter Susan NicholsonPeter and Elizabeth Skelton with a picture of their daughter Susan Nicholson
Peter and Elizabeth Skelton with a picture of their daughter Susan Nicholson

Susan’s father Peter Skelton said: “I see this hearing as an opportunity to make sure that there is a proper inquiry into whether Susan’s death could have been prevented. Sussex Police had all the information about Trigg’s history of violence against Susan and other women.

“They knew that Caroline had died while in bed with him. Even after Susan’s neighbour called the police and they found Susan with injuries to her face, they didn’t see that he was a danger to her.”

Susan, 52, was murdered by Trigg at her flat in Rowlands Road, Worthing. He claimed he accidentally rolled on top of her while they slept.

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He evaded justice until Susan’s parents Peter and Elizabeth Skelton spent £10,000 of their life savings getting the case to court.

Susan Nicholson, on her 21st birthdaySusan Nicholson, on her 21st birthday
Susan Nicholson, on her 21st birthday

At a trial in 2017, Trigg was also found guilty of manslaughter against a previous partner, Caroline Devlin, 35, who he killed at her home in Cranworth Road in Worthing on March 26, 2006 – Mother’s Day – while her children slept nearby.

The court heard Trigg had a history of domestic violence and assaulted one partner so badly she was hospitalised – yet police did not initially treat him as a suspect.

Peter said: “We want to ask the officers what they did to protect Susan, and we had hoped that Sussex Police would want their officers to be alert to the dangers faced by victims of domestic violence and protecting them properly.

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“We are hurt and disappointed that they have chosen to fight our challenge instead, and that they want us to pay their legal costs if we lose.”

According to the family’s lawyers, Sussex Police initially said they were neutral on the judicial review but have now argued to the court that the judicial review should be dismissed. They have also indicated that they will claim their legal costs from Susan’s parents if the judicial review is unsuccessful.

While the family have raised more than £4,000 so far through a crowdfunding website, the police’s legal bill exceeds this, their lawyers said.

After Trigg’s guilty verdict, the inquests into both Caroline and Susan’s deaths were reopened. Coroner Penelope Schofield concluded that Caroline was unlawfully killed at a short inquest in February 2018 which Sussex Police did not have to attend.

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Ms Schofield decided to hold a similar-style inquest for Susan – and it is this decision that her family will be challenging in court.

According to the Skelton’s lawyers, Robert Trigg himself has also joined in. They said he had written to the court arguing that the new inquest should look again at whether he was responsible for Susan’s death, even though he has already been convicted of her murder.

This means that if they lose the challenge, Susan’s parents could face a bill for the legal costs of the coroner and Trigg as well.

A Sussex Police spokesman said due to legal proceedings they were ‘not in a position to comment at this time’.