The families of Naomi Hunte and Fiona Holm together with Project Resist have launched a campaign seeking justice for both women who were killed by the same violent partner, Carl Cooper.
Naomi and Fiona were both Black women with mental health conditions which made them vulnerable. Cooper was a serial perpetrator of high risk domestic abuse upon multiple victims, information which was known by the Met Police.
Evidence suggests that Naomi called the police to report Cooper seven times before she was killed. Fiona reported him for a serious assault whilst he was under investigation for Naomi’s murder, but the case was closed. She was then murdered but delay by the Met in searching for her gave Cooper the opportunity to dispose of key evidence. Her body has never been found. Currently 10 Met officers are under investigation by the IOPC in connection with failures prior to and after their deaths.
Sophie Naftalin made the following statement on behalf of the families of Naomi Hunte and Fiona Holm whom she represents:
“Naomi and Fiona were failed by the Met in both life and death. The Met knew of the risk Cooper posed to them, but neither woman was protected. Their murders were preventable and the failures in the investigations should have never happened. The families have now come together in their grief to launch a campaign to ensure that Naomi and Fiona’s voices are heard, to try and change how victims of domestic abuse are protected and to build support in their pursuit of justice and accountability”.
Sophie Naftalin and Lauren Frederick of Bhatt Murphy act for the families of Naomi and Fiona.
Further information about the campaign can be found here and a link to their petition here.
