THREE police officers have been cleared of misconduct three years after the murder of a vulnerable 22-year-old.

However, they face further training after some of their actions before Phillip Nicholson was killed by his ex-girlfriend and her new partner were found to be unsatisfactory.

The meeting, which was held behind closed doors last week, followed an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Mr Nicholson was lured to a flat in Sea Road, Boscombe on May 26 2015 by Isabella Gossling and Richard Moors. The two then murdered him in a 17-minute attack which was recorded on Gossling's phone.

Gossling was convicted of murder following a trial at Winchester Crown Court in 2015. Moors admitted murder at an earlier hearing.

During the trial, it was heard that police had been called in as a result of concerns about the relationship between Mr Nicholson and Gossling around 18 months before Mr Nicholson's death.

Mr Nicholson had been assessed as being at very high risk of sexual, mental, financial and emotional abuse by an independent domestic violence advisor.

He had an IQ of 62 and lived in assisted accommodation in Parkstone.

A threat was made against the victim 11 days before he was stabbed to death.

The three officers involved in the meeting had initially been served with gross misconduct notices. However, they then faced the less serious allegation of misconduct.

A spokesperson from Dorset Police said: "The matter was initially referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to the death being shortly after police contact.

"The IOPC carried out an independent investigation and recommended that the three officers should face misconduct proceedings.

"As a result, a misconduct meeting took place on Friday, May 11,

"The chair of the meeting determined that the actions of the officers did not amount to misconduct.

"The chair did however conclude that certain actions of all three officers amounted to unsatisfactory performance, which should be dealt with by the provision of appropriate training."

As reported in the Daily Echo, Dorset coroner Rachael Griffin has reopened an inquest into Mr Nicholson's death after a review.