My kind and funny mum was killed after police let her down
CELIA Peachey describes her mother Maria Stubbings – who was murdered by her controlling boyfriend – as the ‘kindest, funniest and most beautiful woman in the world’.
Mrs Stubbings was 0 when she met Marc Chivers while walking her dog in Chelmsford, Essex, in 2008. He later strangled her with a dog lead.
The first time Miss Peachey, 40, met Chivers he was charming and charismatic, but seeing her mother become nervous and fearful, she urged her to end the relationship.
Months later, Chivers assaulted Mrs Stubbings and was jailed, but released after three months.
She then learned of his murderous past – how he had just been released from prison after serving a 1 -year sentence in Germany for murdering a woman.
Mrs Stubbings was assessed as being at a high risk of violence from him, but police removed a personal safety alarm installed at her house.
The force’s domestic violence unit later became concerned about Mrs Stubbings and officers attended her home.
Chivers answered the door and told them she was away. The next day officers discovered Mrs Stubbings’s body hidden in a bathroom. Miss Peachey said: ‘We are talking about a calm, calculating killer who had murdered another woman. He was always going to do it again. The police gave their word to protect my mother and they didn’t. They let her down.’
Miss Peachey has devoted her life to changing the way people view domestic abuse and encouraging better communication and healthier relationships through charities such as Peaceful Solutions.