Gracie Spinks Inquest

Chesterfield Crown Court

Press statement read out by Sajad Chaudhury of Harewood Law,

16th November 2023

My name is Sajad Chaudhury of Harewood Law, I am part of the legal team for the family of Gracie Spinks, also part of the legal team are barristers Narita Bahra KC and Rachel Ferrari of 33 Chancery Lane. Both myself and the family are grateful to them, for being meticulous and diligent throughout.

We the legal team, would like to thank the family for remaining dignified and composed throughout and having the courage to attend every day.

This part of  the statement is read on behalf of Gracie Spinks family, this is their perspective.  

Gracie

Gracie was the life and soul of our family, she would light up any room with her smile, her laughter, she was an all round good soul. She was popular and loved by everyone in the family and loved by her many, many friends. She had an abundance of energy for life and had so many dreams. She loved horses and spent endless happy hours with her horses.

Since the morning of the 18th June 2021 time has stood still. Every day since then she is remembered by us and even after two years, the pain and sorrow is real, our hearts are broken. Gracie’s room is, as it was on the morning she left to go to her stables. Nobody has the emotional strength to move a thing. People say time heals, it does not feel that way. Life feels surreal and the constant heartache is ever present.

The police officers involved in Gracie’s case drove a coach and horses through the concept of basic policing and common sense. Ignoring the obvious risks, investigating nothing and recording nothing. They seemed to be in a rush to conclude their incompetent investigations. There was multiple officers who failed Gracie and missed endless red flags.

When attending the inquest we saw officers and the constabulary passing the blame back and forth. Officers who dealt with the original case, failed to show any remorse or humility, their evidence was disingenuous and on occasions bordering on the absurd. This was upsetting for a family in grief.

Some officers went further, having given absurd evidence they then suggested that so many of their senior colleagues at Derbyshire Constabulary agreed on how they investigated and concluded matters. If that is the prevailing culture at Derbyshire Constabulary, then this is not a handful of bad apples but an entirely rotten orchard.

Gracie’s life may have come to an end, but her legacy will live on, we as a family will continue to keep the spotlight on Stalking. We will campaign for every police force to have a consistent and focussed approach to Stalking. We believe Specialist trained officers only, should deal with offences of Stalking. We do not want a post code lottery dictating service anymore. Victims deserve a consistent response.

We would like to thank all our family, friends and members of the public who have been a real source of strength in absolutely tragic circumstances. They gave us the courage to continue living.

A big thank you to Chesterfields Coroner Mathew Kewley and all his team at the Coroners Court who assisted us and accommodated us throughout.

Finally we would like to thank the Jury for being focussed and considerate.