Missed chances to halt the four killings in 'house of horror'

THE risk to women posed by a drug user who murdered his girlfriend and three other family members in "house of horror" killings in London was not assessed despite previous sexually inappropriate behaviour in a "missed opportunity" to prevent the tragedy, a watchdog revealed today.

- Martin Bentham

HM Chief Inspector of Probation Martin Jones said the "concerning behaviour displayed towards female prison officers" was among a host of missed chances to recognise the full level of danger posed by serial offender Joshua Jacques.

The skunk cannabis user was freed from jail then killed his girlfriend Samantha Drummonds, 27, her mother Tanysha Ofori-Akuffo, 45, her grandmother Dolet Hill, 64, and Ms Hill's husband, Denton Burke, 68, in Bermondsey in April 2022.

Police described the scene they found as like being in "a horror movie" after the killings, which an Old Bailey judge later said had been partly triggered by Jacques' skunk use and its impact on his mental health.