Colette Lynch was stabbed to death by her estranged partner

It was among claims of failings in Warwickshire Police's domestic violence policy and control room at the time of Colette Lynch's death, it heard.

Pc Charlotte Hall, 30, has admitted misconduct over how she dealt with an earlier incident at Ms Lynch's home.

A second officer, Pc Theresa Cottingham, 38, denies misconduct.

Ms Lynch was killed by Percy Wright in Garyth Williams Close, Rugby on 3 February.

Two days before her death, Pc Hall and Pc Cottingham, who are based in Rugby, visited her home after what the presenting barrister Stephen Morley called a "violent domestic incident" involving Wright.

Mr Morley alleged Pcs Hall and Cottingham had not followed the force's policy on dealing with such incidents, had not taken action to protect the mother-of-three and had not properly managed the situation.

Pc Hall has admitted breaching the police code of conduct by failing to perform her duties "diligently and conscientiously". Pc Cottingham denies the accusations.

'Telephone call'

Pc Hall also said the domestic incident was not reported as a crime because Ms Lynch had said she did not want to press charges.

However, Wednesday's hearing was told Ms Lynch telephoned the police control room less than an hour later saying she had changed her mind and did want to press charges.

But still no crime was lodged and an appointment for a Warwickshire officer to visit her the next day was not kept, the hearing in Rugby was told.

It was the third day of the first hearing brought by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) to be held in public.

It follows an IPCC inquiry last year into the circumstances leading up to the death of Ms Lynch.

Wright, 35, was charged with her murder but convicted of manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility and made subject to a hospital order under the Mental Health Act.