Probation staff 'lacked professional curiosity' before OAP's murder

CORONER: 'NOT ENOUGH ATTENTION' GIVEN TO RISK POSED BY KILLER

- By RUCSANDRA MOLDOVEANU

PROBATION Service staff “lacked professional curiosity” before a 74-year-old Nottingham man was murdered in his home.

Barry Christopher Spooner, known as Baz, was stabbed more than 30 times at his address on Gladstone Street, Forest Fields.

His body was found on June 7, 2023, after his family reported him missing the same day. He had not been seen since May 25 the same year, when his murderer, Sarah Hansford, killed him.

Hansford, then 44, was living with Mr Spooner after he took pity on her in 2020 when she said she was homeless. Despite Mr Spooner showing her kindness by allowing her to live with him, Hansford took advantage of that and, by using a combination of persuasion, threats, aggression and violence, stripped him of his life savings worth around £20,000.

An inquest into Mr Spooner’s death at Nottingham Coroners’ Court on Monday, heard this was so that Hansford could fund her drug habit. She also stole items from his house, including a phone and an iPad.

The court heard how Mr Spooner told the police about the abuse on occasion but never fully supported a prosecution. Hansford, who had “a dark side to her personality”, would get “angry and violent” if Mr Spooner didn’t comply with her requests.