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Drug war victim’s family thank daily for making botched police probe public

kevin-nunesThe family of a murder victim killed in a drugs turf war have thanked a regional daily for its campaign to make details of the botched investigation into his death public.

The Express & Star, Wolverhampton, successfully fought to make public a report into Staffordshire Police’s handling of its inquiry into the death of Kevin Nunes, left, after a year-long Freedom of Information battle.

The force had twice rejected requests by the Express & Star for a copy of the document, known as the Costello Report, but issued a redacted version after the case was referred to the Information Commissioner.

The E&S has also revealed how a murderer was among two men paid £200,000 damages by the force over the fiasco.

Leanne Williams, who was Kevin’s girlfriend when he was murdered, said: “The last four years have been fantastic. The Express & Star has wanted to know how the family feels, how it has affected us. They have shown more interest than the police and IPCC together. I am grateful because it has opened up a lot of doors. We really appreciate it.

“We felt like our cause was disappearing, and that in the eyes of the police and the IPCC nobody cared. I definitely believe the Express & Star helped that massively. I totally believe the Express & Star’s input put a fire under it and made the authorities stand up and listen, and forced them into action. I’m glad somebody held onto it regardless, and I appreciate it massively, I really do.”

In 2008 five Black Country gangsters were given life sentences after being found guilty of the amateur footballer’s murder at Leicester Crown Court, but their convictions were quashed after it was revealed details of police failings had never been disclosed at the original murder trial.

In November last year, the Express & Star published a series of new details about the way the murder probe was compromised following its own three-year investigation.

It revealed that a detective responsible for handling the key witness conducted an affair with a female colleague at a safe house which could have led to evidence contamination, while a witness was also ‘chaotic’ while in force protection and caused thousands of pounds of damage to a taxpayer-funded safe house and stole hundreds of pounds of police funds.

The newspaper’s investigation is set to form the basis of a Radio 4 programme tonight at 8pm.

Ms Williams’ brother Benjamin said: “Without the Express & Star we would not have got this far. We would not be here where we are today. We left it to the powers that be, but the only people who wanted to help us was the Express & Star.

“I am grateful for the work they have done and they have given the family strength and belief that there are people out there that care. The Express & Star, the local paper for the local people, has been a fantastic help and we are really grateful.”