Gracie Spinks' parents: 'No excuse' for stalking complaints to be neglected
The 23-year-old Chesterfield woman is believed to have been killed by a Sheffield man almost two years ago
The family of a Chesterfield woman - who's believed to have been killed by a man who knew her - tell us there's 'no excuse' for stalking complaints to be 'pushed to one side'.
23-year-old Gracie Spinks died in a Derbyshire field back in June of 2021 - with a Sheffield man thought to be responsible for her death.
His body was later found in a field close to where Gracie had died.
Last year, the Police Watchdog found that five Derbyshire officers had a case to answer for misconduct following contact they'd had with her in the run up to what happened in the summer of 2021.
Gracie's dad Richard says better resources are needed up & down the country:
"It's the police forces that need to make the changes across the board, not just in certain counties.
"That's the basic goal of Gracie's campaign; to make changes for the whole country.
"Why should stalking resources within the police in Cornwall, for example, different to what they are in Leicestershire or South Yorkshire?
"Most young girls, women, and men are afraid to go to the police - they've got no faith in them.
"They need to have a point of contact where they feel like they're going to be listened to and whatever they report is going to be investigated.
"That's what happened with Gracie's case; it wasn't investigated fully, and consequently, what happened, happened."
Meanwhile, Gracie's mum Alison Heaton says the impact of her daughter's death hasn't got any easier with time:
"For me, it's still very, very raw.
"I can't believe it's going to be two years in June.
"It's as raw for me now as it was back then - it feels like it happened just last week.
"It's really, really painful. Very painful.
"We have to keep campaigning for change, because if not, then her death's been for nothing.
"So, we have to just push on, and keep Gracie in mind to try and bring some change.
"If it just somehow saves one more life, then that'll be something at least."
After gaining 100,000 petition signatures - the campaign set up in honour of Gracie - to make more stalking advocates available to police forces across the country was heard in Parliament last year.
The inquest into Gracie's death is due to begin in October this year.