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Police re-appeal for help in Northampton car sabotage probe

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Detectives have made a fresh appeal for help tracing the yobs who slashed the tyre of a car which led to a fatal crash near Earls Barton.

One year to the day after Joanna’s Smith’s death, Northamptonshire Police have re-appealed for the public’s help finding the saboteurs who attacked the 32-year-old’s car.

Joanna, who was originally from Poznan in Poland, left home in Wilks Walk, Grange Park to set off for work on April 10, last year, not knowing her tyre had been slashed overnight.

She was travelling to work at a pharmacist’s in Irchester at around 8.45am when she died in a collision on the A45 near to Earls Barton.

During the examination of Joanna’s car and subsequent scientific investigation, it was established the collision occurred as a result of one of Joanna’s tyres having been deliberately damaged prior to her commencing her journey.

Police launched a manslaughter probe, thought to be the first of its kind in the UK. They do not believe, however, she was deliberately targeted.

Three other vehicles parked near Joanna’s house in Grange Park, around William’s Way, also suffered damage to their tyres the night before her collision.

Seven people have been arrested in connection with the investigation, five boys and two girls. All are aged between 13 and 17. No further action is being taken against any of them.

DCI Martin Kinchin, from the East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) Major Crime team is leading the investigation.

He said: “While a number of people have been arrested or interviewed on suspicion of the offence, at this time it still remains undetected. Joanna’s family, both in the UK and in her native Poland, have been devastated by her death.

“I believe there are still people who know who is responsible for this damage who have not come forward and so the investigation continues.”

Detectives, working with local officers, have also investigated a second spate of overnight car tyre damages that occurred on the night of 30 July, last year, in the nearby village of Roade.

DCI Kinchin added: “The nature of the damage, the proximity of Roade to Grange Park as well as the fact that this type of incident is extremely rare in Northamptonshire, means we have investigated both incidents with the possibility that they could be linked.

“Fortunately, on this second occasion the damage did not result in anybody losing their life.

“We would still like to speak to anyone who may have any information regarding the deliberate damage of tyres in the Grange Park area over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend in April last year, or in Roade on July 30.”


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