Coroner warns Home Secretary after Thamesmead murder reveals safeguarding gap
Natasha Hill, 18, was killed by boyfriend Scott Clifford weeks after child protection notice lapsed
Incident → evidence → outcomeA coroner has warned the Home Secretary that child protection measures must extend beyond the age of 18 after an 18-year-old woman was murdered by her abusive boyfriend in Thamesmead. Natasha Hill died from fatal head trauma and more than 50 injuries in April 2018, weeks after a legal notice designed to protect her from her abuser automatically expired.
Scott Clifford, 33, was jailed for 18 years in August 2019 for Natasha’s murder. Paramedics found her unresponsive at Clifford’s grandfather’s home in South East London after he claimed she had fallen down stairs. They later reported seeing him attempting to wash his clothes while they treated her.
Child protection notice lapsed at 18
Natasha had been assessed as high risk and was subject to a Child Abduction Warning Notice (CAWN) issued against Clifford in 2017. The notice, which aims to prevent abduction or harm by a named individual, automatically lapsed when she turned 18 in January 2018. No equivalent adult safeguarding plan was put in place.
Within a week of her 18th birthday, Natasha moved in with Clifford. The coroner’s report states that her injuries increased in severity after this point, requiring hospital treatment. She was pronounced dead at Clifford’s home in the early hours of 15 April 2018.
Coroner’s recommendations sent to ministers
Dr Julian Morris, the coroner, sent a Prevention of Future Deaths report to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, NPCC Chair Gavin Stephens, Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson, and several police and health bodies. The report highlights that Natasha’s case involved signs of abuse across multiple police jurisdictions, but no agency was actively monitoring her after the CAWN expired.
“If a case with the same horrific circumstances experienced by Natasha presented today, safeguarding partners would be expected to adopt a fundamentally different approach, recognising that vulnerability, exploitation and coercive control do not cease when a young person reaches adulthood.”
Dr Morris recommended that vulnerable teenagers approaching 18 should be formally reviewed by an adult safeguarding team. He also suggested extending CAWNs beyond 18 and creating a single national policy for policing child sexual exploitation to ensure consistency across forces.
Home Office invests £6.1m in taskforce
The Home Office responded to the coroner’s report by stating it is working to create a “consistent, victim-centred response to child sexual exploitation”. In 2026, it is investing £6.1m in its Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce to improve support for vulnerable young people.
Natasha’s family previously told MyLondon that “at least 20 different agencies” failed to keep her safe. She had grown up in care, self-harmed, and misused alcohol and drugs before being groomed by Clifford. The coroner’s report notes that she was “set on a pathway for child sexual exploitation” in April 2017.
What happens next
The Home Office and NPCC have acknowledged the need for improved safeguarding for young adults transitioning from child to adult services. It is unclear when the government will respond formally to the coroner’s recommendations or when the £6.1m taskforce investment will take effect.
Questions this report answers
01Why did the Child Abduction Warning Notice on Scott Clifford lapse?
The notice automatically expired when Natasha Hill turned 18 in January 2018. Child protection measures in England do not extend into adulthood unless a separate adult safeguarding plan is put in place, which did not happen in her case.
02What did the coroner recommend after Natasha Hill’s death?
Dr Julian Morris recommended extending Child Abduction Warning Notices beyond 18, creating a national policy for child sexual exploitation, and formally reviewing vulnerable teenagers approaching adulthood with adult safeguarding teams.
03How much is the Home Office investing in child sexual exploitation responses?
The Home Office is investing £6.1m in its Child Sexual Exploitation Taskforce in 2026. The funding aims to improve support for vulnerable young people, particularly those transitioning from child to adult services.
04What happens next after the coroner’s report?
The Home Office and NPCC have acknowledged the need for better safeguarding for young adults. It is unclear when the government will formally respond to the coroner’s recommendations or when the £6.1m taskforce will begin its work.
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