Footpath unveiled in honour of Chesterfield stalking victim Gracie Spinks

A footpath has been officially opened in honour of a young woman who was killed by her stalker.

Gracie Spinks was 23 when she was stabbed to death by former co-worker Michael Sellers in Duckmanton, near Chesterfield, in 2021.

On Friday her father, Richard, helped to open the new Gracie Spinks Way close to where she was attacked as she tended her horse.

Staveley Town Council, which funded the signs, hopes it will become a landmark and help to promote community safety.

Mr Spinks said: "To have it there in tribute to Gracie's life and what she wanted to achieve, on a trail that she used with her horse so often, is a great thing."

Gracie was attacked four months after she first reported Sellers to Derbyshire Police after he became obsessed with her.

Officers had warned him to stay away from her, but failed to act when a bag of weapons was found close to the stables where Gracie kept her horse Paddy.

She was found in the field near Staveley Road in Duckmanton and died at the scene.

Sellers' body was found a short distance away after he killed himself.

An inquest into Gracie's death last year ruled Derbyshire Police made numerous errors - prompting the force to admit "significant failings".

Gracie's parents have campaigned since her death to improve the way police deal with stalking reports.

They want Gracie's Law to be implemented, which would see all 43 police forces in the UK introduce uniform procedures for investigating and logging stalking.

The law would also ensure officers have enough training to deal with stalking and for a stalking advocate to be available to act as a liaison between the police and victims.

Mr Spinks said: "We have a lot of work but we have made a lot of progress already and maybe saved some lives with our campaign."

He added: "Police still need to make changes with regard to taking on advocates and stalking coordinators."

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