Police are to hold an internal inquiry into their handling of the career of PC Karl Bluestone, who battered to death his wife and two of their sons.

The probe has been ordered after it was revealed that Bluestone had attacked his wife Jill - a manager at Basildon Council - on at least two previous occasions.

Key questions to be answered by the inquiry is why Bluestone was allowed to keep his job without being suspended, and if there are any lessons to be learned from the tragedy.

The 36-year-old policeman, had been arrested twice over attacks on her but no charges had been brought.

He was said to be depressed at the time and jealous of his wife's high-flying council career.

Mrs Bluestone, 31, who was a well respected and senior officer of the council, had made a complaint of assault against her husband in 1994 but had not pursued the case.

The same thing happened in June 1999, when police were called to the couple's Gravesend house after another domestic row. Again, police took no action at Mrs Bluestone's request.

As police continue their inquiries into the tragedy, it has emerged that the police officer threatened to burn down their family home when his wife said she wanted to move to be closer to her job in Basildon.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.