POLICE bosses in North Yorkshire have been referred to a watchdog for the second time in two days, following concerns that they failed to stop a wanted man who murdered a teenager.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) will investigate intelligence concerning the movements of Peter Chapman while he was wanted for breaching the conditions of the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Durham Constabulary and Cleveland Police are also being investigated.

Chapman, a convicted sex offender, was jailed for a minimum of 35 years earlier this month, for the murder of 17-year-old Ashleigh Hall in County Durham in October 2009. The independent investigation follows a joint referral from the three police forces, relating to their Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems.

The system uses cameras to read number plates and identify any matches with information on police computer systems. Chapman’s vehicle, a blue Ford Mondeo, was circulated on the Police National Computer on October 23, 2009, in relation to allegations of theft, arson and failing to notify his change of address in line with his sex offenders’ registration.

The three police forces have identified ANPR records showing Chapman’s car was in the force areas between October 23 and 26.

Cleveland Police recorded 12 ANPR hits, Durham Constabulary two and North Yorkshire two hits on 26 October. The hits in the Cleveland Police area resulted in the arrest of Chapman, at which point he confessed to Ashleigh’s murder.

The IPCC announcement that it was investigating came only 24 hours after it launched a probe into claims that North Yorkshire’s Chief Constable Grahame Maxwell and his deputy Adam Briggs had given relatives preferential treatment in a recruitment exercise.