Man arrested on suspicion of murder after young girl and two adults die in fire
A 54-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a fire at a historic former station house killed three people, including a four-year-old girl, police have said.
Emergency services were called at around 10.30pm on Friday to reports of a large blaze at a property in Beswick Close in Rushton, near Kettering.
The other victims are believed to be a 30-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man, Northamptonshire Police said on Sunday.
A man from Kettering was arrested on suspicion of murder on Saturday and remains in police custody, the force added.
The victims' next of kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Chief Inspector Paul Cash said: 'We know this incident has caused significant distress locally and our officers will remain in the area to provide reassurance and help where we can.
'In relation to this investigation, one arrest has been made, and we will provide updates surrounding this as soon as we can.
'This investigation is well under way but remains in its early stages, and it will take time to fully establish what has happened.'
Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Ruby Burrow, of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, said: 'This is a heartbreaking situation and my thoughts, and those of everyone involved in responding to this fire, are with the people who died and those who love them.
'An incredibly thorough and complex investigation is underway with our partners in Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service to make sure we get the answers that loved ones need and deserve.
'Due to the intensity of the fire we are managing a very challenging and dangerous scene, and are working with partners to safely and respectfully recover the deceased to enable formal identification to take place.'
After the fire, one person was taken to hospital by the East Midlands Ambulance Service and three officers were assessed because of smoke inhalation, the force said.
Specialist fire investigators and investigation dogs have been deployed to support the investigation into the cause of the blaze, police said.
Images from the site show a large hole burned through the roof of the building, which is a 19th century former station master's house at the now-closed Glendon and Rushton railway station.
It is a Grade II-listed building, according to the Historic England website, and is believed to now be a residential property.
Anyone with information is asked to call Northamptonshire Police on 101 quoting incident reference 25000180391.
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Western Telegraph
an hour ago
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Suspect's welfare prioritised over prompt probe after Harry Dunn crash
Anne Sacoolas, who was able to leave the UK under diplomatic immunity laws 19 days after the crash that left 19-year-old Harry Dunn fatally injured, was not arrested at the scene after police believed the 'necessity test' had not been met. The independent review also heavily criticised Northamptonshire Police's former chief constable Nick Adderley, whose 'erroneous statements' about Sacoolas's immunity status led the Foreign Office to contact the force asking him not to repeat them. Anne Sacoolas (right) was not arrested at the scene (Elizabeth Cook/PA) The report, commissioned by Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet, concluded there was a lack of co-ordination and adherence to professional standards guidelines amongst senior leadership within the force. The force apologised to the Dunn family for 'what is now clear was a failure on our part to do the very best for the victim in this case.' Harry was killed when Sacoolas's Volvo, which was travelling on the wrong side of the road, struck his motorbike near US military base RAF Croughton in Northamptonshire in August 2019. The Dunn family spent three years campaigning for justice after diplomatic immunity was asserted on behalf of the US suspect, which saw them meet US President Donald Trump in the White House. Sacoolas eventually pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving via video link at the Old Bailey in December 2022, and she later received an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. Reacting to the review, Harry's mother, Charlotte Charles, told the PA news agency the failures by the force were something 'no family should ever have to endure'. She said: 'Today's review report confirms what we have known for years – that we were failed by the very people we should have been able to trust. 'Harry was left to die on the roadside. Sacoolas was not arrested, even though the police had every power to do so. 'She fled the country, and they didn't tell us. 'These are failures no family should ever have to endure.' The review said there was a 'lack of appropriate recording and associated documentation in relation to high-level meetings such as minutes, strategy, tasking and action logs'. Addressing the role Mr Adderley played in the force's failings, Mrs Charles continued: 'I remain so angry at Adderley to this day. 'We knew from the outset that there was a problem with him and we will never forgive him for launching his personal attacks on our neighbour and spokesperson Radd Seiger, the one person in our tragedy who had the courage to stand up and help us when the police and our own government refused to do that. 'I am glad Adderley is long gone and will never be able to police again.' 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'We will never stop fighting for Harry – but today, at least the truth of the failings of Adderley and the force he led has been recognised.' Assistant Chief Constable Emma James issued an apology to the family on behalf of the force, saying: 'First and foremost, on behalf of Northamptonshire Police, I want to apologise to Harry's family for what is now clear was a failure on our part to do the very best for the victim in this case, Harry, and his family who fought tirelessly in the years that followed to achieve justice for him. 'The picture which emerges is one of a force which has failed the family on a number of fronts, and we hope the findings, which are troubling in several respects, will provide some answers to questions which the family will have wanted to know in the years that have passed. 'I hope some good comes out of this. Much of the learning which the force has taken from this has already been put in place and we make a number of specific recommendations for best practice at a national level. 'We have taken a deep look at ourselves and hope the transparent way we have identified failings of the past will go some way to re-building the confidence of Harry's family and friends going forward as well as the wider public at large.'
The Guardian
an hour ago
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Northamptonshire police apologise to Harry Dunn's family for failures investigating his death
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Now a review into Northamptonshire Police's handling of the investigation, commissioned by chief constable Ivan Balhatchet, has found officers allowed Sacoolas, now 47, to be driven home by her husband because they believed the 'necessity test' had not been met for arrest. The report also heavily criticises Mr Balhatchet's 'Walter Mitty' predecessor Nick Adderley, who was sacked last year after a misconduct panel found he lied and exaggerated his naval rank, length of service and achievements when applying for the role. The review detailed how Mr Adderley had made 'erroneous statements' about Sacoolas's immunity status which led the Foreign Office to request he did not repeat them, and outlined how Mr Adderley's conduct created an 'adversarial position' with the Dunn family's spokesman, Radd Seiger. 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These are failures no family should ever have to endure.' In October 2019 Mr Adderley held a press conference which caused 'numerous issues from a Family Liaison perspective' after he accused Mr Seiger of making a 'wholly inaccurate' statement and warned him to 'exercise constraint in his commentary' of the case. The review, by Karl Whiffen, a retired former head of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit, found Mr Adderley's interactions with the media 'had a significant negative impact' on the Dunn family. The report also established that subsequently, the then chief constable initiated 'direct contact with Mr Seiger via Twitter (X) messaging service'. The senior investigating officer (SIO) reported that this made efforts to regain the Dunn family's 'trust and confidence…even more of a challenge as it may as it may have appeared that they were withholding information that CC Adderley might have been willing to provide'. The review said the chief constable's leadership had 'a direct impact in the trust and confidence of the family in Northamptonshire Police'. It added that Mr Adderley hampered the SIO's efforts to regain family's trust and 'rendered almost redundant' a new family liaison strategy devised by the SIO after the chief constable made himself the point of contact to Mr Seiger, and then failed to update his officers on what was discussed. Mrs Charles, from Charlton, Northamptonshire, was appointed MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list at the weekend for her outstanding services to road safety. Addressing the role Mr Adderley played in the force's failings, she said she remains 'so angry' at him, adding: 'We knew from the outset that there was a problem with him and we will never forgive him for launching his personal attacks on our neighbour and spokesperson Radd Seiger, the one person in our tragedy who had the courage to stand up and help us when the police and our own government refused to do that.' Mrs Charles also thanked the senior officer in the case who 'showed genuine care and commitment when others above her fell short'. The review, published on Wednesday, found there is potentially a culture at Northamptonshire Police of not arresting suspects 'in circumstances such as these, which could lead to evidence not being obtained.' A total of 38 recommendations were made in the report, including that the force should adopt an 'investigative mindset' at serious road crashes and review how it recovers material from the scene of a collision. It read: 'A report has been prepared and concerning the consideration of arrest, the (Serious Collision Investigation Unit) lead is of the view that the decision not to arrest is not explained in enough detail and the overriding factor in the decision appears to be the welfare of the suspect and her suffering from shock, with little to no consideration around the full necessity test under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. 'A prompt and effective investigation was not considered or articulated. 'The view is that in these circumstances the suspect could and should have been arrested to assist the evidence gathering process.' It continued: 'The duty (police sergeant) made the decision not to arrest. 'The rationale was largely based on a belief that the necessity test was not met, and information received that Anne Sacoolas was in shock. 'Whilst the welfare of any person is a concern for officers, this should not have prevented the arrest of Anne Sacoolas.' Mr Seiger said the 'honest' review 'lays bare, in graphic detail, a series of grave errors including an almost total absence of capable leadership' from Mr Adderley. He added: 'The failure to arrest Sacoolas, which the report acknowledges the police had the power to do, is staggering and so upsetting'. Assistant Chief Constable Emma James, the force's Head of Protective Services, apologised to the Dunn family for failing them 'on a number of fronts'. She said there had been a 'clear' failure to 'do the very best' for Harry, adding: 'Much of the learning which the Force has taken from this has already been put in place and we make a number of specific recommendations for best practice at a national level.
