No change in EU movement, court hears

A Home Office policy chief told the Alice Gross inquest today (weds) restrictions on free movement within the EU were unlikely to change in the immediate future.

The 14-year-old schoolgirl was murdered by Latvian Arnis Zalkans after he slipped into the UK in 2007 after serving a seven year jail sentence for killing his wife.

Alice was reported missing on 28 August 2014 after failing to return home, and her disappearance sparked the Met’s biggest manhunt since the London 7/7 bombings.

David Cheesman, the Home Office policy chief for international criminal records, told Westminster Coroner’s Court today (weds) that previous convictions did not automatically disqualify EU nationals from entry.

He said: ‘Someone with a murder conviction would definitely be considered for deportation.

‘I can’t guarantee that he would be deported or refused, but I can guarantee the information would be passed on.’

Zalkans had previously served seven years in prison in his home country for bludgeoning his wife to death and burying her in a shallow grave.

As an EU national, he underwent no background checks on arrival and was completely unknown to the British authorities, raising serious questions about the security risk posed by the free movement of people within the EU.

Mr Cheesman then told the inquest they relied on information being shared between countries, but that the system did not ensure criminals didn’t get in.

He said: ‘It was not until 2008 that we could guarantee everyone would be checked regardless of nationality.

‘The only time we would conduct an adverse record check is if they came to our attention.

‘In a small number of cases other countries will tell us, but that doesn’t happen regularly.

‘The EU brought legislation in in 2005 as a response to a case that occurred between France and Belgium, where a sex offender was committing crimes in both and moving in between.

‘Before this, for serious crimes we always had measures, but at that time we did not have time for quick routine checks.

Mr Cheesman told the court the position on free movement was unlikely to change in the immediate future.

He said: ‘As the Prime Minister said, the general position remains the same.

‘We are in the EU, the government has said that it isn’t going to exercise article 50 until the new Prime Minister.

‘It would be in our best interests to co-operate with our neighbours.’

Alice’s naked body was not found until 30 September in the Grand Union Canal – where she had been tied into the foetal position and wrapped in bin bags before being weighted down with bricks tied to a bicycle wheel.

Zalkalns, was found hanged from a tree in Boston Manor Park, Hounslow, four days later on 4 October.

Police believe the father-of-one murdered her before her hiding body in the water, returning several times over the following day to ensure it remained undiscovered.

There were no obvious signs of injury on her body but detectives believe her death was likely the result of a larger body lying on top her and stopping her from breathing.

The inquest continues.
ends