Mount Hawke Family Launches Legal Fight Over Murder Case
A Community’s Call for Accountability
Five years after Michaela Hall’s death in Mount Hawke, her family is taking legal action against Devon and Cornwall Police and the probation service, arguing that critical failures allowed her murder to happen. On 31 May 2021, the 49-year-old was fatally assaulted by her boyfriend Lee Kendall, who is now serving a life sentence with a 21-year minimum term.
The Good Law Project, a campaign legal organisation, is now representing Hall’s family in their fight for answers. At an inquest concluded in March 2024, Cornwall’s coroner Andrew Cox identified “shortcomings and errors” by probation services in the lead-up to her death. This formal acknowledgment has given Hall’s family grounds to pursue their legal challenge, seeking to understand what went wrong and how such tragedies might be prevented in other households across Cornwall.
For residents across Mount Hawke and surrounding areas, this case raises urgent questions about victim protection systems and whether local authorities are doing enough to safeguard vulnerable people. The case has resonated deeply within the community, highlighting how domestic abuse cases can slip through the gaps of oversight.
What Went Wrong: A Pattern of Missed Opportunities
According to the Good Law Project, Kendall had 47 previous convictions across 78 offences before he met Hall in 2019 while she was working with a prisoner resettlement charity. Despite this dangerous history, authorities recorded 16 documented assaults by Kendall against Hall. Most alarmingly, he was released from prison just two weeks before the fatal attack—a release that Hall’s family argues should never have happened without stronger protective measures in place.
On the night Hall died, two police officers were dispatched to her Mount Hawke home following a call-out. Body-worn camera footage reveals officers discussing concerns about the situation but ultimately deciding they lacked the power to force entry. They left without discovering Hall’s body, which was found by her father the following morning.
This sequence of events—combined with documented probation service failures—forms the basis of the legal challenge. Shaun Hall, Michaela’s 18-year-old son, has now come forward to tell his mother’s story publicly. “They made too many mistakes that led to her death,” he stated. “If those failures hadn’t happened, my mum could still be here today.”
What Locals Need to Know and What Comes Next
This legal challenge matters to everyone in Cornwall because it directly affects how police and probation services operate across the county. The case underscores a sobering reality: one woman in the UK is killed every three days, often by someone known to them. For families in Mount Hawke, Newquay, and throughout the region, understanding these systemic gaps is critical to recognising warning signs in relationships within their own circles.
Devon and Cornwall Police have stated they “immediately addressed recommendations” made by the Independent Office for Police Conduct and acknowledged learning points from the inquest. However, the Good Law Project’s solicitor Cat Knight argues the criminal justice system is fundamentally failing women by not treating domestic abuse with appropriate urgency.
Community members should know: if you’re experiencing domestic abuse or suspect someone is, report it immediately to police (999 in emergencies). Local support organisations, women’s services, and charities can provide confidential help. The legal proceedings ahead will likely bring new scrutiny to how authorities handle high-risk cases. Watch for the outcome of this challenge—it could reshape how police and probation services protect vulnerable people across Cornwall.
Source: Family of murder victim Michaela Hall mounting legal challenge
