THE investigation into a Blackburn man’s alleged involvement in the disappearance of a 14-year-old girl has been identified as having a ‘series of failings’.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission criticised Lancashire Constabulary’s inquiry into the disappearance of 14-year-old Charlene Downes from Blackpool.

It has recommended one officer face a disciplinary hearing, another get a written warning and five given words of advice.

Iyad Albattikhi, who was living in Blackburn and running a Blackpool takeaway at the time of Charlene’s disappearance in November 2003, was subsequently charged with Charlene’s murder.

His landlord and business partner Mohammed Raveshi was charged with assisting an offender in the disposal of a body.

Both men faced trial in May 2007, but the jury failed to reach a verdict.

A retrial was ordered, but prior to the start of this trial in April 2008, the CPS identified a number of issues with the evidence and the two men were released.

The investigating team were guilty of a ‘strategic and tactical failure’ in the management of the audio and video material they obtained, the IPCC concluded.

Proper records were not kept, material was not fully transcribed and the overall integrity of the material was not ensured, it said.

The use of untrained and inexperienced officers in the inquiry was also criticised as was the way a human intelligence source was handled, according to the IPCC.

Assistant Chief Constable for Lancashire police Andy Cooke, said: “I want to reassure the family and our local communities that we have learned lessons from this and have moved on quickly in terms of handling such information.”