Kent, November 30: An official inquiry has uncovered "serious failings" in hospital management, governance, regulation, and processes, enabling the notorious necrophiliac double murderer, David Fuller, to abuse the bodies of at least 101 women and girls over 15 years. The inquiry, chaired by Sir Jonathan Michael, exposed a disturbing lack of oversight at Kent hospitals, where Fuller committed his gruesome crimes between 2005 and 2020.

According to multiple reports, David Fuller, a former maintenance supervisor, committed sexual abuses on at least 101 corpses between 2005 and 2020, evading detection by exploiting flaws in hospital security and management for over three decades. His crimes included the murder of two women in 1987, Wendy Knell and Caroline Pierce. The inquiry revealed that Fuller's criminal record, which included burglary, was not disclosed during his employment, allowing him unrestricted access to mortuaries where he committed 140 violations against bodies. UK Shocker: Woman Chokes to Death on Stage During Marshmallow-Eating Challenge in South Wales.

The report also reveals Fuller's brazen actions, visiting the mortuary 444 times in a year unnoticed. Sir Jonathan Michael's inquiry has proposed 17 recommendations to prevent future atrocities, emphasising the urgency of installing CCTV cameras in mortuaries, ensuring non-mortuary staff are accompanied, and prohibiting the overnight storage of bodies outside fridges. The shocking report also underscored the failure of senior management to address issues in the running of the mortuary since 2008. UK Shocker: Man Kept Pensioner’s Body in Freezer For Two Years And ‘Used His Bank Account To Go Shopping and Withdraw Cash’.

The Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust faced severe criticism for its "failure to follow standard policies and procedures" and a persistent lack of curiosity regarding Fuller's activities. The report highlighted that effective action was lacking despite management's awareness of issues in the mortuary. The inquiry called for accountability regarding who should be held responsible for the oversight.

While Fuller, now 69, is serving two whole-life sentences for the murders and an additional 12-year term for necrophilia, the inquiry's findings expose the deep trauma experienced by victims' families. Government officials, including Health Minister Maria Caulfield, issued profound apologies and committed to learning lessons from the report. The inquiry's second part, set to review care for the deceased nationwide, will focus on safeguarding in private mortuaries, private ambulances, and funeral directors, with findings expected in 2024.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 30, 2023 11:05 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).