- Imran Hussain, 27, murdered Kieran Crump-Raiswell, 18, in January last year
- Hussain attacked another victim in a 'trial-run' in Nottingham 12 days earlier
- Probe found police failed to conduct a 'timely investigation' into that attack
- Hussain was then 'emboldened' to carry out the fatal stabbing in Manchester
Imran Hussain, 27, murdered an 18-year-old student in a random attack - just 12 days after carrying out a 'trial-run' which police failed to properly investigate
A murderer who stabbed a gap-year student to death in a random street attack could have been stopped if police had launched a 'thorough and timely' investigation into a similar attack two weeks before, an investigation has found.
Gap-year student Kieran Crump-Raiswell, 18, was handing out his CV in Manchester city centre when he was knifed to death in broad daylight by Imran Hussain, 27, in January last year.
The assassin walked up to the teenager and stabbed him four times in the chest because he ‘simply wanted to see what it’s like to kill someone’.
But a probe by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) found Hussain could have been stopped from committing the fatal attack, if officers had investigated a 'trial-run' that Hussain carried out twelve days earlier.
In that attack, the defendant ran up to another stranger in Nottingham and punched him, before driving off in his vehicle.
The victim made a note of Hussain's vehicle registration number and reported the incident to police on January 4.
But Hussain was not tracked down by police - and was 'emboldened' to carry out the second attack.
In its report, the IPCC said the officer who investigated the incident 'did not pursue appropriate lines of inquiry' - despite having the vehicle registration number and a description of the assailant.
The officer also failed to properly handle evidence, keep an adequate record of evidence within his pocket notebook, promptly create a crime report or keep it adequately updated.
Kieran Crump-Raiswell, 18, right, was handing out his CV in Manchester in the hope of finding a job when Hussain stabbed him four times in the chest in front of shocked witnesses
IPCC commissioner Sarah Green said: 'This was a shocking and unprovoked murder of a promising young student. My thoughts are with Kieran’s family and friends at this difficult time.
'We will sadly never know whether a more prompt investigation might have deterred Imran Hussain from going on to commit the grave crime of murder, but it is clear that the officer did not investigate the initial assault quickly and thoroughly enough, despite being provided with clear lines of inquiry.
'There are lessons for Nottinghamshire Police to learn from these events to improve the service they provide in future.'
Mr Crump-Raiswell had been accepted to study history at Sheffield Hallam University and had just returned from the US where he had been coaching football when the murder took place.
He was heading into Manchester to find a job when he was attacked in front of stunned witnesses.
Hussain was then seen by witnesses to be laughing and sniggering as he ran back to his car and drove to his student flat in Coventry. The teenager died later the same day in hospital.
Kieran's mother Christine Raiswell, right, and Ronald Crump pictured left, called the murder 'completely senseless' and said it was a 'random, violent assault'
Hussain admitted killing Mr Crump-Raiswell but claimed it was manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility after saying he was responding to voices in his head.
He was found guilty of murder after a trial in July last year and was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in jail.
During the sentencing, Mr Justice Baker told him: 'I’m satisfied that having escaped detection for that attack (in Nottingham) you were emboldened to undertake another one, this time with deadly intent.'
After the IPCC findings, Detective Chief Inspector Mick Windmill-Jones said the force accepted the conclusion of the investigation.
He said: 'Nottinghamshire Police accepts the IPCC’s recommendations in relation to this case. We will always strive to improve the service we provide to the public.
'Nottinghamshire Police accept that the officer concerned did not conduct a thorough and timely investigation into the assault which occurred in Nottingham.
'The officer in question faced internal misconduct proceedings which were held in March of this year.
'It was found that the officer did not meet the standards of professional behaviour expected from a police officer.
'A finding of misconduct was upheld against the officer who received management action. Our deepest condolences are with Kieran Crump-Raiswell’s family and friends at this time.'
After the trial last year, Mr Crump-Raiswell’s mother, Christine, 45, said: 'It is so completely senseless. People have said things like he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he wasn’t.
'He was just walking along enjoying himself and somebody has attacked him. He did not have a chance to do anything. There was no motive. It was just a random, violent assault.'
The watchdog said it also made recommendations around several gaps identified in Nottinghamshire Police’s policies and procedures.
These included the use of the violent crime handover policy force-wide; improved performance reviews and improved communications between intelligence staff, control room staff and operators.
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