An investigation has begun into how social services dealt with body-in-the-box killer Andre Genestin.

Genestin, 49, was jailed in May for the murder of his wife Catherine, a Russian national.

He smashed the 38-year-old over the head with a wooden mallet before hiding her body in a car roof box at their home in Maresfield Road, Brighton, in May 2007.

Last night it emerged that Brighton and Hove City Council had opened an investigation into the way its social services staff had handled warnings from teachers that the Genestins’ daughter thought her mother had disappeared.

Council staff called Genestin after receiving the warnings. He told them his wife was fine. Her body was not found for five weeks. A team of independent consultants will review what was done and make recommendations to the local authority.

A council spokesman confirmed that an investigation had begun but said he could not comment on the details.

Genestin admitted manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility but was jailed for life after being convicted of murder.

Correction

On September 9, The Argus carried a report stating that Catherine Genestin was pregnant at the time of her murder.

Her husband Andre Genestin claimed during his trial for her murder that Catherine had told him she was expecting, although a post-mortem examination found that she was not pregnant. We are happy to set the record straight.