 Cambs Police investigated the Soham murders |
The force which investigated the Soham murders has had its bid for extra money to pay for the inquiry rejected. Cambs Police had asked the Home Office for help with the �8m bill for bringing Ian Huntley to justice for the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman.
The Home Office had already given the authority �3.55m in a special grant - but Cambs has had to find nearly �5m.
The government turned down the police authority's latest bid of �1.4m to cover the "exceptional costs".
The investigation following the August 2002 murders was Britain's largest manhunt.
It led to the conviction of killer Huntley and the jailing of his former girlfriend Maxine Carr for perverting the course of justice.
On Tuesday, Cambridgeshire Police authority chairman John Reynolds said he was "extremely disappointed" by the decision.
At the height of the operation, nearly a quarter of the force's operational staff were committed to the investigation, which also involved 21 forces around the country.
At one stage more than 500 police officers and staff were involved - 282 of them from Cambridgeshire.
'Normal practice
Mr Reynolds said: "Whilst we acknowledge and are grateful for the initial financial support granted to us by the Home Office, we are nonetheless disappointed and feel that the extent of the financial pressures faced by Cambridgeshire in the light of this massive investigation and trial has not been fully recognised."
Jim Paice, MP for South East Cambridgeshire, said that Cambridgeshire should be treated as an exceptional case.
"Securing convictions and ensuring justice was done placed a significant financial burden upon Cambridgeshire Police which I do not think has been fully recognised by the Home Office," he said.
A spokeswoman for the Home Office said: "The force received a special grant of �3.55m in January 2003. The Home Office has covered 44% of the extra costs incurred.
"The Home Secretary's decision not to provide any more special grant is in line with normal practice of expecting police authorities to have made provision for at least some part of the cost for exceptional major inquiries."
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Securing convictions and ensuring justice was done placed a significant financial burden upon Cambridgeshire Police which I do not think has been fully recognised by the Home Office 
