Stalker deemed 'low risk' stabbed woman 10 times in murder-suicide

16 November 2023 , 14:04

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Gracie was unlawfully killed

A "creepy" stalker who police deemed "low risk" unlawfully killed a 23-year-old woman when he stabbed her 10 times before killing himself, an inquest has found.

Gracie Spinks died on the morning of June 18, 2021 when she was knifed by her colleague Michael Sellers, who had stalked her after she told him she did not want to pursue a romantic relationship with him. Sellers, 35, was found dead hours after part-time model Gracie died, having taken his own life, 150 metres away from the field in Duckmanton, Derbyshire, where Ms Spinks had been killed. Police investigating the deaths discovered Sellers had stalked eight other women.

Today a jury – members of which were wearing pink and purple wristbands in Gracie’s memory – returned the formal finding that she was unlawfully killed after instruction by assistant coroner for Derby and Derbyshire, Matthew Kewley. He told the 10 jurors at Chesterfield Coroner’s Court that he “was in effect telling” them to conclude that Ms Spinks died as a result of being fatally stabbed by Sellers. The medical cause of death was given as a stab wound to the neck.

Gracie Spinks was just 23 when she was killed

Several months earlier, Ms Spinks had reported “creepy” Sellers to their employer and the police over stalking concerns after she had declined to pursue a romantic relationship. This followed Sellers repeatedly contacting her without permission and “effectively hounding” colleagues for information about her, Mr Kewley said, and watching her on CCTV at their workplace.

But he was graded only as low risk by Derbyshire Police and given words of advice, despite Sellers telling them he believed he was in a relationship with Ms Spinks. Just a month before Gracie's death, a bag of weapons – which also included Viagra tablets and a note saying “don’t lie” – was found on a bridle path near where Ms Spinks’ horse was stabled, but this was dismissed by police, with one officer believing they were theatre props.

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The inquest at Chesterfield Coroner's Court, heard that Gracie had thought Sellers was "sweet and caring" and had met him a handful of times outside work for a meal and to go for walks, and to each other's homes. But she had decided they should "distance" themselves after an incident while she was self-isolating at home in December 2020.

Sellers, who lived at home with his parents in Sheffield and worked with Ms Spinks at xbite, an e-commerce firm, visited her home to take her some items she had ordered and was invited inside, but he "started kissing her and got on top of her", and she asked him to stop. Ms Spinks sent him a text on December 16 2020 saying he was a "great guy" and she was sorry for letting him down but she did not have time to have a relationship - something which had left Sellers upset.

She reported Sellers to the HR department at their workplace after seeing him parked in a layby near the field where her horse was stabled, on January 4, 2021. When Ms Spinks arrived at work the same morning, Sellers had tried to talk to her, leaving her "unnerved and upset". Ms Spinks had also reported Sellers to the police for harassment on February, 4 2021.

Michael Sellars killed himself (Xbite Ltd/Facebook)

Detective constable Denise Sandall, from Derbyshire Constabulary, told the inquest that their investigation into Ms Spinks' death had identified eight other women who had previously received unwanted attention from Sellers.

The jury were also shown CCTV of the alleged killer's last movements on June 17 and 18 2021, in which a car matching the description of one belonging to Sellers was seen in the vicinity of Gracie's home. The inquest heard Gracie is believed to have been killed between 8.03am and 8.10am on June 18 as she tended to her horse Paddy. Her body was discovered by a woman who called 999 at 8.13am.

Ms Sandall told the inquest that police made the link between Ms Spinks' death and Sellers by 9.23am. When asked why they came to this conclusion, she said: "That link was made because of the report of harassment Gracie had made in February. There was a crime report in our systems, that would have linked Gracie to Michael Sellers straightaway."

Sellers' body was discovered by two people in undergrowth just after 11am the same day Ms Spinks was killed. A note was found in a bedside cabinet at his home in which he said he could not deal with "all her lies against me" and he was "sorry I let everyone down".

The jury retired to consider where, when, how and in what circumstances Ms Spinks died after hearing evidence since October 30. But coroner Mr Kewley said they should only return the conclusion of unlawful killing due to the nature of the evidence.

Ms Spinks was described as 'sweet and caring' (Facebook)

He said: “While yes, it is a matter for you, in effect, I am telling you the conclusion you should reach. It is a conclusion that is used when you are satisfied on the balance of probabilities that in this case Gracie died as a result of the criminal offence of murder. The evidence overwhelmingly suggests that Gracie was killed by Michael Sellers. There can be no real argument about that in my view. You can take it from me that there is no suggestion that Michael Sellers was acting in any sort of self-defence. He was the aggressor and that is why I say to you that Gracie was unlawfully killed.”

Multiple failings already admitted by Derbyshire Police were referred to in the record of inquest filled in by the jurors, but they had been prevented by a coroner from deciding whether the failings had contributed to Ms Spinks’ death. Returning their conclusion on Thursday, in which he referred to Sellers as “the supervisor”, the jury foreman said: “Derbyshire Constabulary had admitted the following serious failings.

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“However, it could not be concluded that these failings contributed to Gracie’s death on June 18 2021. It was the supervisor that killed Gracie.”

The police had accepted multiple failings prior to the jury’s conclusion concerning their investigation into Ms Spinks’ complaint and their handling of the bag. Several officers gave evidence in the inquest, with one saying the weapons should have been a “concern” and another telling Ms Spinks’ family he was “truly sorry” and that the force “should have done better”.

Mr Kewley said that a Prevention of Future Death Report would be issued to Derbyshire Police’s Chief Constable and others over the coming days.

Kelly-Ann Mills