Every third day, in our #EveryThreeDays campaign, I write about a woman killed by a man. Previously this month, we have remembered Miriam Nyazema, Denisa Silmen, Jan Bennett, Simonne Kerr, Laura Holden and on the 16th of August – Jane Wiggett.
Today we remember Katelyn Parker aged just 24, who was murdered in August 2015 by Lee Nolan.
The Manchester Evening News reports:
“Nolan and Miss Ashton had a close, platonic friendship that lasted six months – she called him ‘Mr Happy Days’ because of his jovial personality”.
Nolan, though, had another side to him, and during an argument when Katelyn called Nolan “Gay” – he snapped and strangled Katelyn with the cord of her hair straighteners.
He then put the body of Katelyn into the boot of his car and went to friends saying he had killed a woman – at one point showing the body. He was duly reported to the police, and a car chase developed after which he was arrested.
Yet again, though, Katelyn should still be alive had the police done their job correctly. The BBC reported this in December 2016:
Two detectives have been disciplined after police failed to properly investigate rape allegations against a man who went on to murder a woman.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission has now found “significant failings” in the way police handled previous allegations against Nolan. Detectives from Greater Manchester and Kent police received official warnings.
The IPCC said Nolan was allowed to “remain at liberty” and went on to kill Ms Parker in Heywood, Greater Manchester, despite two unrelated allegations of rape and one of making threats to kill. The watchdog found the threats to kill allegation was not progressed by either police force.
Lee Nolan was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 18 years.
Katelyn Parker
#EveryThreeDays
Authored by Steph @PlaceSteph
