THE murder of a Swindon man's sister and 17-year-old nephew are being put under the spotlight this week.

For two years Frank Mullane, of Old Town, has been trying to find out why police did not act when his sister Julia Pemberton told them she was being threatened by her estranged husband Alan Pemberton.

This week the case is being featured in an ITV West Eye special, Death Trap, which focuses on murders that come after domestic violence.

Mrs Pemberton and her son Will were shot dead at their luxury home in Hermitage, near Newbury, by Pemberton in November 2003.

After shooting his wife as she cowered in a cupboard, and knowing that their son was already dead outside, Pemberton turned the gun on himself.

At the time Pemberton was separated from his wife and was the subject of a court order banning him from going anywhere near the property because of threats.

The couple had previously lived in Castle Eaton, near Swindon.

After they separated, Pemberton started to send his wife death threats.

She and Mr Mullane reported the incidents at Newbury police station several times.

Being interviewed for the film, Mr Mullane said: "When a frightened and vulnerable woman goes into a police station and tells them that her husband is trying to kill her, action has to be taken but it wasn't.

"We came in with the death threats that had been posted through my sister's letterbox and begged them to intervene, absolutely begged them."

They spoke with the domestic violence co-ordinator who "flagged" Julia's address.

This meant incidents at the house should be treated urgently.

Mrs Pemberton was on the phone to the police when she died but the operator did not even know where she lived.

Mr Mullane has been granted permission to seek judicial review into the terms of reference of a probe into the murders. He wanted this because he said that first proposed investigation into the death was too narrow, and would not have helped anyone in future cases.

The probe has been put on ice while the judicial review is carried out.

The investigation was due to be the first of its type in the country and is expected to shape how probes into similar cases will be carried out.

In the programme Siobhan Elliot, Julia and Mr Mullane's sister said: "There were two distinct threats that were reported to them and at the time of reporting the police were also told about the almost daily threatening behaviour from Alan by text, letter, telephone.

"So they were aware of the continuing history. Despite being assured that Alan would be questioned, he never was.

"We felt very let down."

The murder of Hayley Richards, of Trowbridge, who was killed by her boyfriend Hugo Quintas also features in the programme.

  • Death Trap is being shown on ITV West tomorrow at 7.30pm.