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Four arrested over fatal stabbing

Four people have been arrested on suspicion of murder after a teenager was stabbed to death at a house party.

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Son tells of shock upon discovering the man he called a 'friend' killed his mother

The son of a woman murdered by her ex-boyfriend has spoken of his shock at finding out that a man he called his 'friend' had killed her.

Maria Stubbings from Chelmsford was murdered by Marc Chivers, who had recently been jailed for assaulting her.

An IPCC investigation found that Essex Police had removed a panic alarm from her home, despite knowing that Chivers had killed a previous girlfriend. Maria's son, Bengi Stubbings, who was 15 at the time, was left with Chivers in the house, not knowing that his mother's body was hidden there.

Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh of Essex Police said: "I recognise the pain that the Stubbings family are going through but I am absolutely committed to say we are doing things differently to 2008, differently to 2011. But there is a lot more that we need to do."

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Maria Stubbings murder: Report identifies police failings

Maria Stubbings was murdered by her ex-partner

Essex Police has been criticised for failing to protect a woman who was murdered by her ex-partner.

Maria Stubbings, 50, was stranged by Marc Chivers at her home in Chelmsford in 2008.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission says the force missed opportunities to protect her.

Her family is now calling for a public inquiry into how the police deal with domestic violence.

Marc Chivers has been jailed for life

In a statement, Essex Police says it is acting on the report's recommendations.

Chivers was jailed for life for Ms Stubbings' murder.

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Crimewatch appeal generates new calls

Essex police say they've received a number of calls after a TV appeal over the house fire that killed a family of six in Harlow.

Dr Sabah Usmani and her five children died after the blaze last month. It's now being treated as murder.

In a fresh appeal on the BBC's crimewatch programme last night, police asked for information about a laptop stolen from the house on the night of the fire. Detectives described the case as tragic and unprecedented for the force.

For more on this story visit the ITV Anglia News website.

Crimestoppers offering reward for Harlow fire information

Crimestoppers have said it would pay the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

This is an absolutely heartbreaking incident which has devastated and shocked the entire community.

It is impossible to imagine how Dr Shakoor, who survived the fire, is coping with the loss of his family.

Please come forward to the independent charity Crimestoppers so this truly awful crime can be solved.

– Ann Scott, the Crimestoppers' eastern regional manager

Ann Scott added that people had "nothing to fear" by contacting Crimestoppers as all witnesses could remain anonymous.

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