Was the murder of Quyen Ngoc Nguyen by Stephen Unwin and Blackpool killer William McFall avoidable?

An inquest into the horrific murder of a Vietnamese woman by two convicted killers will look at whether the police and Probation Service missed chances to prevent it.
Stephen Unwin and William McFallStephen Unwin and William McFall
Stephen Unwin and William McFall

William McFall, formerly of Blackpool, and Stephen Unwin were jailed for life last year after Quyen Ngoc Nguyen, 28, was found in a burning car in Shiney Row, near Sunderland, in August 2017.

She had been lured into a trap, sexually abused, tortured for her bank card Pins and set on fire as she lay dying in the car.

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McFall and Unwin were sentenced to full life term sentences after they were convicted of murder at Newcastle Crown Court last year.

Stephen Unwin and William McFallStephen Unwin and William McFall
Stephen Unwin and William McFall
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They had met in prison when they were both serving life sentences for separately murdering pensioners, and teamed up after they were released.

Sunderland coroner Derek Winter held a pre-inquest review into the case ahead of a full hearing set to start on May 28. Sitting at the Civic Centre in Sunderland, he said the inquest will look at whether the risk posed by her killers was properly assessed by the authorities.

Mr Winter will also consider what intelligence the police and Probation Service held about Unwin and McFall associating together and if they could have been recalled to prison.

He will ask a probation expert to give evidence and has ruled that the hearing will not need a jury.

The victim’s sister Quynh attended the hearing and followed proceedings with an interpreter.