Julia Pemberton and her 17-year-old son, William, were killed

Frank Mullane's sister Julia Pemberton was murdered at home in Berkshire in November 2003 after a series of threats from her husband Alan.

Mr Mullane, from Swindon, said he had earlier "begged" police to help.

He was responding to police claims that the deaths of Mrs Pemberton and her son William could not have been predicted.

When a frightened woman walks into a police station and tells them that her husband has been threatening to kill her, that's a serious plea for help Frank Mullane

He said he had accompanied his sister to the police station after she had received a death threat from her husband, but that no officer had been to the house to gather evidence.

On subsequent occasions leading up to the shootings in Hermitage near Newbury, Berkshire, the family reported a number of worrying incidents which they say were not heeded.

Last week, the family took their call for a homicide review into the handling of the tragedy to Home Office minister Baroness Scotland.

Thames Valley Police later issued a statement saying: "There are some aspects of the case that the force would now handle differently, but Thames Valley Police does not believe in any way that this would have led to us predicting or preventing Julia and William's murders."

In the family's first public response to the police statement Mr Mullane said on Thursday: "The family are astounded at the comments by Thames Valley Police in their statement released last week.

Panic alarm

"We are continually staggered by the differing communications we receive from this police force with regard to this case.

"When a frightened, vulnerable and na�ve woman, na�ve in the sense of knowing how to apprehend a potential killer, walks into a police station and tells them that her husband has been threatening to kill her, that's a serious plea for help.

"I don't believe that the advice given to Julia was commensurate with the risk."

Police say they gave Mrs Pemberton "significant advice and support" and had a panic alarm put in and, through a domestic violence officer, obtained an injunction against Mr Pemberton.

But Mr Mullane said: "They did help secure an injunction, and what that does, of course, is push it down the family court route and it means the police haven't dealt with the serious crime of an absolutely serious death threat.

"We begged the police to visit the house that weekend to see the evidence in situ."