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Mother stabbed to death at home 'after police ignored her 999 call'

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 12:15 PM on 08th May 2009

A mother-of-three stabbed to death in her home called police hours
before her death to report she might be attacked.

Fitness instructor Mary Griffiths, 38, died after being knifed in the
chest by an assailant at her home in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

Ms Griffiths, who was on crutches, called police at 9pm on Tuesday and
is said to have been told that officers would be with her in an hour.

At 2.45 am on Wednesday, police received an emergency call saying she
had been attacked and wounded.

Armed officers rushed to the house and found Ms Griffiths with serious
stab wounds to her chest and she later died in the town's West Suffolk
Hospital.

Her three daughters are believed to have been in the house with her at
the time.

A 40-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of her murder at a house
less than two miles from her home.

He is being treated in hospital for injuries while police are waiting to
interview him.

The suspect is said to be in a stable condition and is expected to make
a complete recovery.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has begun an inquiry into
the incident.

Ms Griffiths, who was in a relationship, was said to have been
increasingly concerned about the unwanted attentions of another man.

A close friend, who asked not to be named, said: 'She called the police
at 9pm and she was waiting for the police to come.
Mary Griffiths, right, in a picture captioned 'The three tipsy sisters'
from the Bebo page of Louise Scannell, left

Tragic: Mary, right, in a picture from the Bebo page of Louise, left

'She was expressing concern about a person and she phoned the police.
She was told they would be there in an hour. They did not arrive.'

Ms Griffiths had also sent text messages to friends expressing concern
about her safety.

A post mortem revealed that she died of 'a penetrating chest injury'.

Her friend added: 'She was a really lovely, bubbly personality who was
loved and adored by very many people in Bury and Newmarket.

'She was completely dedicated to her three daughters. She was devoted to
them. She was an excellent mum who was there for her children and she
was very caring. She did all the nice things mums do with their
children.

'She had lots and lots of friends and she made people feel special when
she was with you. We haven't slept thinking about it. It is such a loss
and our thoughts are for the children. They were such a close family.'

Ms Griffiths' daughters are being looked after by their father.

A Suffolk Police spokeswoman said: 'Suffolk Constabulary can confirm
that the dead woman did contact police prior to this incident.

'As such, this matter has been referred to the Independent Police
Complaints Commission. They are conducting an investigation and we
cannot comment any further.'

A spokesman for the commission said: 'IPCC investigators have completed
a scene assessment.

'A decision has been made that the IPCC will conduct an independent
investigation into police contact prior to Mary Griffiths' death.'

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home-police- ignored-999- call.html