THE POLICE watchdog has confirmed they will be investigating Essex Police’s contact with a man who set fire to himself and his former mother--in-law, leaving her in a life-threatening condition.

Witnesses told the Echo that Kieren Lynch, 50, of Tewkes Road, Canvey, was armed with a machete when he stormed a house in Boyce Green, Benfleet, on March 13.

Neighbours claimed he poured the contents of a container on himself and the homeowner, 72-year-old Jenny Cronin, before igniting the fuel.

He was arrested for attempted murder before they were both flown to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.

Mr Lynch died later that night from burns.

The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) has now confirmed that they will be investigating prior contact with Mr Lynch by Essex Police and not the response to the incident on March 13. It is understood that Kieren Lynch had been married to Mrs Cronin’s daughter but had separated and that there had been problems leading up to the horrific incident.

A friend of the family told the Echo: “It was her daughter’s ex-husband and he had been there the previous week.

“Jenny never had a bad word to say about anybody but she said he was very unreasonable.

“You could tell it made her uncomfortable to talk about it and she was embarrassed.

“She found his behaviour very upsetting.”

While the woman also told the Echo she believed a restraining order was in place, Essex Police has since confirmed this was not the case.

The nature of the force’s contact with Mr Lynch prior to March 13 is not known at this stage and the IOPC has said they may look to issue more information in due course “once the terms of reference for the investigation have been set”.

Mrs Cronin remains in a critical but stable condition and is receiving treatment at a specialist burns unit.

A police spokesman police said: “Due to previous contact between Kieren Lynch and Essex Police prior to his death the force made a referral to the IOPC and they have launched an investigation.”