Former wife of Alexander Blick hits out at police

Under normal circumstances the clothes that a victim, such as Alexander, were wearing at the time of death would be returned to the next of kin by a police officer in appropriate packaging .

But this didn’t happen to Tara who was confronted with the shock delivery on the Alexander’s birthday, June 3.

Tara said: “I cannot believe Derbyshire Police did not realise I would be opening Alexander’s possessions on his birthday. How insensitive and unprofessional.

“It was a distressing enough day as it was. But getting that package from the postman and opening it up to find Alexander’s stuff in evidence bags with notes scrawled over it was just horrible.”

Tara has also complained that emails sent from officers about the return of Alexander’s possessions were “vague” and seemed more like in-house emails between colleagues, rather than to a victim of crime.

A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: “We are sorry that Alex’s belongings arrived with Tara on his birthday. The items had been posted by recorded delivery on May 31 with her agreement.

“We’ve been in regular contact with her throughout the investigation to support her in what was a difficult and emotional time for her. Again we are sorry if she feels that contact was inappropriate.

“We have tried to be sensitive to her needs and acknowledge there have been logistical problems during this case as she lives in Portsmouth.”

Alexander Blick was bludgeoned to death by Michael Wayne Carroll on October 16, 2011 in Matlock’s library gardens.