Police officers and staff "badly let down" a woman who was fatally stabbed near her home, a report has said. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been looking at the way Warwickshire Police handled its dealings with Colette Lynch.
She was killed by her partner Percy Wright. Both had been in contact with police before the February 2005 attack.
The IPCC said the force must improve how it deals with domestic violence, crime recording and call-handling.
Ms Lynch, 24, of Garyth Williams Close, Overslade, was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital following the attack, in which her mother was also injured.
The IPCC report found that in the two days leading up to her killing, the force failed to investigate a violent incident at her home - involving Wright - in accordance with its domestic violence policy.
It said officers failed to record the incident as a crime or to arrest Wright, and failed to respond appropriately to reports that he was at large carrying knives.
The IPCC said the force also contravened its own procedures by closing the original incident on its system and taking no further action.
A health authority in charge of Wright's clinical care is carrying out its own independent review into the case.
Hospital order
IPCC Commissioner John Crawley said: "On this occasion, the system let Colette Lynch and her family down very badly indeed.
"But Warwickshire is working hard to ensure that this experience is not one that other domestic violence victims will share."
At Birmingham Crown Court last August, Wright, 35, from Rugby, admitted manslaughter due to diminished responsibility.
He was made the subject of a hospital order and will be detained at a secure psychiatric unit until he is no longer deemed a danger to the public.
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Warwickshire is working hard to ensure that this experience is not one that other domestic violence victims will share
