POLICE officers were asked why they didn't give a woman more protection in the lead up to her being killed by an ex-partner.

Detective Sergeant Sharon Lewis and PC Andrew Bagley were grilled on the third day of an inquest into the death of Maria Stubbings being held at Chelmsford Coroner's Court.

Maria, 50, was strangled to death in her Great Baddow home by her ex-partner Marc Chivers in December 2008.

Her family have been pushing for the inquest to ascertain what action the police could have taken to avoid Maria's murder and have had the support of the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.

It's emerged that Chivers, who had already served a life sentence in Germany for killing a former partner, had burgled Maria's home just days before she was killed.

He had also served four months in jail for assaulting Maria.

Det Sgt Lewis told the inquest that, while Chivers was in prison, she spoke with Maria and was certain Maria would make no more contact with Chivers.

She next heard from Maria in December - the month she died - but described Maria as "difficult to engage with".

Rajeev Thacker, representing Maria's family, said: "In your statements and in your evidence today, you have not given any countenance to the possibility that this was a situation where Maria was being controlled by Chivers."

PC Bagley told the inquest that he had undergone no formal domestic abuse training at the time of the case.

It was put to him that as a result, he failed on occasion to notice tell-tale signs of domestic abuse, such as coercion and manipulation.

He told the court that was "probably" the case.

*The inquest continues.