Huntley victim's father backs police chief

Embattled Humberside police chief David Westwood should not be sacked for failures over the Soham murder case, the father of victim Holly Wells said tonight.

Kevin Wells said his family found it “shocking” that the inquiry into the Soham murders had turned into a “major political issue”.

And he told the Mail on Sunday it would be “a travesty” if Mr Westwood lost his job as a result.

The Humberside chief constable’s career is on the line after he was criticised in the official report into the murders and Home Secretary David Blunkett called for his suspension.

Mr Wells told the newspaper: “The inquiry into the murders has become a major political issue and we have found that shocking.

“We have always understood Mr Westwood to have our best interests at heart and to be willing to take the blame for troubles which pre-dated his promotion.

“If that brought an end to his career it would be a travesty.”

Mr Wells’s daughter Holly and her friend Jessica Chapman were murdered by Ian Huntley after police checks on Huntley’s past failed to reveal a history of sex allegations against him.

As a result of the failures, Huntley was able to get a job as a caretaker in a Soham school.

Michael Bichard’s official report into the events contained severe criticisms of Mr Westwood, causing Mr Blunkett to instruct Humberside Police Authority to suspend the chief constable.

But a row erupted when the police authority refused to implement Mr Blunkett’s order, prompting the Home Secretary to threaten legal action.

There could be a High Court hearing into the case as early as Monday.

Mr Wells told the paper that Mr Westwood’s honesty during the Bichard inquiry - often at his own expense – demonstrated “morality, humility and courage”.

“Neither my wife Nicola nor I believe he should be criticised or penalised for possessing those qualities,” he said.