TRAGIC DISCOVERY
Leah Croucher used martial arts to defend herself during sex attack by convicted predator who killed her, inquest told
Tragic teen was found dead in abandoned home three years after she was last seen walking to work
LEAH Croucher used martial arts to defend herself during a sex attack by a convicted predator who killed her, an inquest heard.
The 19-year-old disappeared on February 15, 2019, as she walked to work in the Furzton area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
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Her dismembered remains were found in an attic at a home less than half-a-mile from where she was last seen in October 2022.
Following the tragic discovery, police named Neil Maxwell, 49, as the prime suspect in Leah's murder.
The convicted sex offender took his own life on April 20, 2019, while on the run from police.
A coroner today ruled Leah was unlawfully killed by Maxwell after an inquest heard she may have been killed during an "unwarranted sexual attack".
Read more on tragic Leah
The court heard Leah was a renowned martial arts expert who had tried to defend herself after being attacked.
It was previously feared she may have been held captive at the home for months but police said they believe she was killed on or close to the day she vanished.
Her body was finally discovered when a handyman was tasked with getting rid of a smell at the home.
Tom Osborne, Senior Coroner for Milton Keynes, said: "Whoever had placed the body in the loft had taken steps to remove certain limbs and place them in plastic bags."
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No cause of death could be identified despite extensive testing, Milton Keynes Coroner's Court was told.
Det Sgt Kevin Brown, of Thames Valley Police, said he "absolutely" believed Maxwell killed Leah.
Leah Croucher’s devastated family carry her coffin at funeral as they say goodbye to teen who vanished three years ago
His name had come up in May 2019 but officers concluded there was no link between him and Leah.
This was despite Maxwell being hunted by police at the time and his "predilection for young females".
The fiend had carried out maintenance work at the house, which was used as a holiday home, from November 2018.
He was the only person to have keys to the property while the owners were away.
Maxwell was assessed as medium risk after convicted of sexual assault in February 2018, but it has since been decided he should have been categorised as high risk.
At the time of Leah's killing, the suspect was wanted for a sex attack in Newport Pagnell and used false names to evade arrest.
He also stopped using his phone and car and may have lost weight and grown a beard to change his appearance.
A month before the horror, an officer raised concerns about Maxwell's lack of communication.
Senior Coroner Tom Osborne said the failings may have played a part in Leah's death as he confirmed he would be writing a preventing future deaths report.
In a pen portrait, Leah's mum Claire Croucher described her daughter as a "kind, caring soul who worried about others and did her best to ensure those around her were comfortable and happy".
Let down - the failings in Leah's disappearance
SENIOR coroner Tom Osborne identified a number of failings after Leah first disappeared in February 2019.
These were:
- An inexperienced probation officer supervising Maxwell who had little experience of supervising sex offenders.
- The risk that Maxwell posed to the public being "underestimated and unreported".
- The failure in the process to monitor Maxwell with regard to his attendance at appointments and for him to live at the address he was supposed to live at.
- A failure in the risk assessment carried out and a failure to properly share information between police and probation in regard to the Visor system.
She said her friends described the teen as a "force of power with an infectious giggle and a smile that was always present".
Claire added: "We knew she would succeed in life with her attitudes to situations, she was strong both physically and mentally."
The mum also said the family were "so proud of the woman she was becoming" as she told how the "void" from losing Leah has broken the family.
In a statement after the inquest, Leah's dad John Croucher said: "The current system is not equipped to properly manage these offenders and we fear that until these failings are properly addressed, another family will have to face the same awful consequences we will never recover from."
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He also said the failings "not only allowed this repeat offender to assault others and kill our Leah, but also led to the death of Leah's brother Haydon who never recovered from Leah going missing and was so distraught (he) took his own life".
John said the inquest has not answered the family's key questions about the "failings in the apprehension of the key suspect in this matter" as he urged the police "to be open with us".
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