String of failures by police, probation services and an NHS trust allowed a convicted rapist to enroll at a college where he befriended ‘vulnerable’ woman, 26, then raped and murdered her

A string of failures by the police, probation services and an NHS trust allowed a convicted rapist to enroll at a college where he befriended a ‘vulnerable’ woman he later murdered, an inquest has found.

Simon Goold, 52, was jailed for life last year after he raped Elizabeth McCann, 26, and strangled her to death in August 2022. 

The pair met on a course at the Health and Wellbeing College in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester. 

It was known that Goold, who had been convicted of rape, sexual assault and wounding in 2010, posed a danger to ‘lone women’ in ‘certain circumstances’, particularly when alcohol was involved or when he felt rejected.

Nevertheless he was allowed to join the college without a risk assessment taking place.

Senior coroner Alison Mutch concluded at the inquest that this ‘probably’ contributed to Ms McCann’s death which she ruled as an ‘unlawful killing’.

Probation and police also failed to properly act upon a number of warning signs – including Goold informing them he had had a ‘small relapse’ with alcohol and an admission that a woman he hoped to become ‘intimate’ with had decided not to pursue the relationship.

But police and probation ‘failed to exhibit any professional curiosity’, probably due to their ‘large workloads’, wrote Ms Mutch.

‘It is possible that this lack of action by Greater Manchester Police and probation contributed to Elizabeth’s death,’ she added.

The inquest also heard the college, which is run by NHS mental health trust Pennine Care had failed to set up an ‘effective referral system’ to manage ‘high risk’ students such as Goold. 

An incident in a pub in Ashton in July 2022 where an inebriated Goold tried to kiss Ms McCann’s friend Gaynor Hammerton, a former student turned volunteer at the college, was not recognised as ‘high risk’ by the college.

That meant the college’s senior manager failed to inform probation services and instead dealt with it ‘informally’ by speaking with Goold to tell him his behaviour was inappropriate.

Ms Mutch wrote: ‘As a consequence [Goold] continued at the college and probation were unaware of these events and no action was taken by them. 

‘It is probable that had there not been a failure to share the July 2022 incident which was caused by the previous failures Elizabeth McCann would not have died on the day she did.’

Goold from Ashton was jailed for life in February 2023 at Manchester Crown Court and ordered to serve a minimum term of 35 years after he pleaded guilty to murder, rape, sexual assault and assault by penetration on the second day of his trial.

The court heard he had deliberately targeted Ms McCann after seeing her at the college. 

He met her at a pub in Ashton on August 25, 2022, where he plied her with drinks until he took her back to his flat where he raped and strangled her, before reporting her death to the police the next day.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, Ms McCann’s mother, Debbie McCann, said: ‘We have seriously struggled to accept that she is gone. I keep trying to ring her in an attempt to speak to her again.

‘No parent should have to survive without their child. As her mother I felt her death was my responsibility as I failed to protect her.

‘Lizzie’s personality touched everyone who met her. She was the most amazing, beautiful daughter, sister and mother anyone could ever ask for and we will always miss her.’

Dr Simon Sandhu, medical director at Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, said: ‘We want to offer our sincere condolences and apologies to Elizabeth’s family. 

‘We fully accept the conclusion of the coroner who found that significant failings at the college where Elizabeth was enrolled probably contributed to her death.

‘We are now commissioning an independent review of the college which will consider all the findings from the inquest. 

‘We are committed to the safety of all our students and we are truly sorry that we failed to have systems and processes in place that could have protected Elizabeth.’

A Probation Service spokesperson said: ‘This was a horrific crime and we have apologised to Elizabeth McCann’s loved ones for the failings in this case.

‘We have taken steps to address the issues identified in the report and inquest, including improving information sharing and recruiting thousands more probation staff across the country.

‘In light of the coroner’s findings, we will further review our next steps to ensure we have taken any action needed to keep the public safe.’

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said: ‘Our thoughts and sincere condolences remain with Elizabeth’s family. We respect the findings made by the coroner around case handling and offender management.

‘A full review has taken place to ensure that we continue to make further improvements in these areas, while also providing the best possible care and protection to those the force comes into contact with.’