Murdered Scots hairdresser 'could have been saved' by cops

Tragic Katrina O'Hara's daughter thought Stuart Thomas would be re-arrested for unlawfully contacting her mother while he was out police bail.

Police had one last chance to save Scots hairdresser Katrina O'Hara three days before she was murdered by her violent ex-boyfriend, an inquest has heard.

Ms O'Hara's daughter Morgan said she thought Stuart Thomas would be re-arrested for unlawfully contacting her mother while he was out police bail.

Thomas, who had previously been arrested for threatening to kill Ms O'Hara, got his own daughter to text Morgan to get her mother to drop charges he was facing.

Morgan went to the police after she had received the texts.

Morgan and her 44-year-old mother had expected police to re-arrest the roofer but they failed to do so.

Three days later Thomas, 53, stabbed Ms O'Hara to death at the barber shop she worked at in Blandford, Dorset on January 7, 2016.

The inquest heard Thomas was released on bail on December 30, 2015, after he was arrested for threatening to kill Ms O'Hara by crashing their car into a tree during a terrifying drive.

Morgan received her first message from Thomas' daughter at 6.40pm on January 1, with subsequent messages being sent later on the evening of January 1 and on January 3.

During her interview on January 4, she told police: "I knew the bail conditions meant George (Stuart Thomas) could not contact my mum directly or indirectly.

"I received a text and in it his daughter said she was asked by her dad to contact me,

"She asked if I could get mum to drop the charges against George.

"I replied that my mum had to do this."

In her later statement to police Morgan said she confided in her mother about the messages on January 4.

Mother-of-three Ms O'Hara immediately called the police and two officers were sent to her house to take a statement from Morgan an hour later.

When Morgan showed them the messages, they are said to have told her that they constituted 'a clear breach' of Thomas' bail conditions.

Morgan, now aged 20, said both she and her mother believed Thomas would be re-arrested and claimed Ms O'Hara had told them she was 'in fear of Thomas hurting him or herself'.

Morgan said: "When I told my mum about the messages she contacted police to tell them George had breached his bail and they came around to take a statement.

"Police arrived at my mum's house an hour later.

"I showed him the messages and asked if they were a breach of his bail conditions and I believe the officers said it was a clear breach.

"I asked if this meant George (Stuart Thomas) was going to be rearrested. They didn't have a straight answer. They didn't really know.

"They said it depends on timings.

"Following this I thought George would be arrested and my mum must have thought the same.

"I was in the room when the police spoke to her and I think she said she was worried about him hurting her or himself."

The Bournemouth inquest heard from Inspector Greg Tansill, of Dorset Police, who was a custody sergeant on duty on the night Thomas was released on police bail.

Explaining the police bail procedure, he said that breaching police bail did not constitute a criminal offence.

It does give police the right to re-arrest them and hold them for 24 hours but if there is insufficient evidence to bring a charge the person will have to be released again.

Insp Tansill said: "I don't recollect dealing with Stuart Thomas but he would have been given very clear instructions about his bail conditions and what was direct and indirect contact.

"Breaching police bail conditions is not in itself a criminal offence, but it means a person can be brought back to the station and police can review the evidence.

"If there is still insufficient evidence for a charge, then the options are to release again on police bail, release with certain conditions attached or to take no further action."

Ms O'Hara, originally from Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland, lived in Okeford Fitzpaine, Dorset, with her daughter.

Thomas is serving 26 years in jail for Ms O'Hara's murder.

The inquest in Bournemouth continues.