Julie Harris

JULIE HARRIS [No photo available] (19 October 2004)

Julie Harris, 41, of River Leys, Cheltenham, had been subjected to 14 months of harassment by Andrew Millard. When Mrs Harris rang 999 to have him arrested, she was told the police had “other commitments”. Millard, 42, of Tewkesbury, admitted manslaughter, but denied murder in October 2004. Millard was found guilty (April 2005) and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 18 years.

During the trial, the court heard a chilling 999 call of Julie’s last moments as she screamed over and over again. Millard could be heard on five occasions shouting that he was “going to kill her.” Her 19-year-old daughter and boyfriend, who were both in the house, ran out and phoned the police.

The IPCC has investigated police conduct and “found no evidence of misconduct by police officers and police staff members, but did identify some areas for improvement in organisational policies and systems.” Read the IPCC report here.

The Guardian (21 Jun 2005):

KILLER ‘OBSESSED WITH EX-LOVER’
Steven Morris

A woman who was stabbed to death by her obsessed former boyfriend had begged police to arrest him the night before she was killed, a court was told yesterday.
Police did not seize Andrew Millard before he killed Julie Harris, 47, because they had “other commitments”, it was claimed.

Bristol crown court heard that after the relationship broke up, Mr Millard, 42, began sending his ex-lover abusive text messages, including one which read: “You deserve to die.”

Sarah Munro, QC, prosecuting, said that on one occasion, after finding out Ms Harris had a new lover, he made 47 phone calls and texts in one night to her mobile phone.
Mrs Munro told the court: “The contents were extremely unpleasant.”

Mr Millard, a delivery driver, was given a harassment order by Gloucestershire police in October 2004.

But this failed to stop him and on October 19 last year the terrified mother of one rang police, begging them to arrest him after he kept phoning her at work.

Mrs Munro said: “She wanted him to be arrested but the police had other commitments so they didn’t attend.”

The next day, the court was told, Mr Millard broke into Ms Harris’s home and stabbed her seven times with a steak knife.

Mrs Munro said: “This man clearly wanted to kill her. He was obsessed.”

Mr Millard has admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but denies murder.

The BBC (04 Jul 2005):

MAN JAILED FOR MURDERING EX-LOVER

A man has been jailed for life after being found guilty of murdering his ex-lover just five hours after she asked police to arrest him.

Andrew Millard, 42, who lived on a caravan park in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, harassed Julie Harris, 41, after she ended their affair.

He admitted manslaughter, but denied the murder in October last year.

Passing sentence at Bristol Crown Court, Judge Adrian Fulford told Millard he would face a life sentence.

Millard agreed to sign an harassment order on 5 October 2004 after the mother-of-one complained to police about his behaviour.

Investigation launched

Two weeks later she again phoned 999 demanding that Millard was arrested.

Five hours later she was stabbed to death by Millard, who had broken into her home in River Leys, Cheltenham, and knifed her seven times in the chest.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission has launched an investigation into Gloucestershire Police’s handling of the case.

A statement by Gloucestershire Police regarding the IPCC investigation said: “Following the death of Julie Harris it was identified by officers that there had been a history of incidents reported to the police by both Julie Harris and Andrew Millard.

“The Constabulary made the decision to make a voluntary referral to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

“The outcome should be known shortly and further information will be made public at that time.”