Four Metropolitan Police officers are under investigation following the murders of two women by Carl Cooper, a handyman from Lewisham, after both victims had repeatedly reported his violent behaviour to authorities. Cooper, 66, was sentenced to life in prison in July 2024 for the murders of 41-year-old Naomi Hunte and 48-year-old Fiona Holm.
Naomi Hunte was stabbed to death at her Woolwich flat in February 2022, despite having made four complaints to the police about Cooper’s harassment. Cooper was arrested on suspicion of murder but was released under investigation. Sixteen months later, Cooper murdered Fiona Holm, who went missing from Hither Green in June 2023. Her body has never been found.
Both women had been in relationships with Cooper, and each had reported his violent behaviour to the police. Holm had lodged a complaint about an assault in April 2023, but despite Cooper’s arrest, no charges were brought. The Metropolitan Police has since acknowledged that their investigation into Holm’s complaint was inadequate, noting that a more thorough probe could have identified key witnesses who might have provided enough evidence for a prosecution.
On Wednesday, the Met confirmed that four officers are now being investigated for misconduct about how Holm’s April 2023 complaint was handled. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) had referred the case back to the local force for investigation, but the watchdog will review the findings.
During Cooper’s trial at Woolwich Crown Court, it was revealed that Hunte had made multiple domestic violence calls to the police between 2020 and 2021, warning officers that Cooper was “obsessed” with her. In one call in June 2021, she told officers, “He stalks me and I’m really scared now.”
Met Police Commander Paul Brogden expressed deep regret over the handling of the cases. “Our thoughts will always remain with Naomi Hunte and Fiona Holm, and we again extend our sincere condolences to their families,” he said. “We have always been clear that we made mistakes when dealing with allegations against Carl Cooper. For those mistakes, we are extremely sorry.”
Brogden also acknowledged the ongoing investigations by the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and issued a direct apology to Holm’s family for how her missing person case was handled. It is a matter of enduring regret that we did not have sufficient evidence to charge Cooper sooner for the murder of Naomi,” he added.
Despite his life sentence, Cooper has refused to reveal the location of Holm’s body. Police continue to search for her remains to give her family closure.
In sentencing, Cooper, Mr Justice Johnson described him as a “great danger to women” with a history of controlling and coercive behaviour towards his female partners.
The investigation into the actions of the four officers, which relates to how they handled Hunte’s 2023 GBH complaint, is ongoing.
