About this page. This page summarises a Domestic Homicide Review published in the Home Office DHR Library. The full report is available at the source link below. Victim and perpetrator names are not included in extracted summaries on this page.
Source · Domestic Homicide Review
Somerset review
CSP: SomersetPublished: December 2022Year of death: 2015Extracted: 10 recs
Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.
Key concerns include the identification and robust handling of stalking, inter-agency communication and information sharing across authorities and between domestic abuse and mental health services. Delays in accessing mental health support due to GP registration and issues with MARAC processes were also identified.
Home Office classifications
30 tags
Source-supplied classifications used by the Home Office to catalogue this review.
Victim - died by suicide
Victim - alcohol misuse
Victim - substance misuse
Victim - housing issues
Victim - mental ill health
Victim - depression
Victim - psychosis
Victim - self harm
Victim - suicide attempts
Victim - had been a victim of an abuser before
Victim - referred to marac at any time
Victim - case heard at marac before homicide
Perpetrator - known to agencies as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to police as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to health services as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to idva or other domestic abuse support service as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Aggravating factors - separation
Aggravating factors - coercive or controlling behaviour
Aggravating factors - stalking
Aggravating factors - physical stalking
DHR process - police recommendations
DHR process - health services recommendations
DHR process - idva or other domestic abuse support service recommendations
DHR process - community safety partnership recommendations
DHR process - technology systems recommendation themes
DHR process - training recommendation themes
DHR process - policy recommendation themes
DHR process - multi agency working recommendation themes
DHR process - record keeping recommendation themes
DHR process - awareness raising recommendation themes
Extracted recommendations
10 recommendations pulled from the report · 4 matched to organisations in the index
Addressed to
Torbay Domestic Abuse Service | Somerset Integrated Domestic Abuse Support Service
This agency should link with the local GP practices in close proximity to their safe houses/refuge and build a rapport with the practice in order that the domestic abuse service can become more familiar with the practice. The aim is also so that the GP practices can assist new arrivals with GP registration at the earliest opportunity, recognizing that the individuals may not always have personal identification with them and that this should not impact on their access to healthcare. This recommendation is also applicable to Somerset Integrated Domestic Abuse Support Service also.
Addressed to
Torbay Domestic Abuse Service | Devon Partnership
This agency and the Devon Partnership should develop a joint working protocol outlining how they will work together when they are supporting the same individuals.
All referrals into their service for temporary accommodation should be advised to bring identification with them and at least one month’s supply of medication (If medically safe) or a record of the medication in order that support can be ascertained from the new local GP practice for assistance to prevent a deterioration in their health.
Addressed to
Somerset Integrated Domestic Abuse Service
When making a referral, which involves a victim with multiple needs, the referring agency must ensure that as much detail is shared with the new agency in order to support the transition including consideration for travelling to the new service with medication, identification etc... In addition this would include details of any drug and alcohol related misuse and mental health issues and the contact details of these services, in order that the new agency can directly link with the support worker from the old service for information. Within Somerset, this is part of a Joint Working ‘Multiple Needs’ Protocol which needs revising in order to reflect the importance of key information, contact details and to enable a seamless transition between services.
MARAC Protocol to be refreshed and circulated to all partners reminding them that their agreement to this process stipulates that actions should be completed in a timely fashion. Where actions are not completed; the MARAC Chair and Coordinator should be informed of the rationale at the earliest opportunity.
An action should only be given to those agencies physically present at the MARAC meeting who understand the context and ask of the action. Where this is not possible, actions can be suggested and then followed up outside of the MARAC meeting by the MARAC Coordinator to the proposed action owner.
Both forums to consider what processes are in place to discuss high risk victims of stalking when they are not familial or partner/ex-partner cases e.g. consideration of the Hampshire model.
To consider developing and implementing a training scheme relating to stalking and harassment in order to ensure that officers and staff feel confident in dealing with complaints of this nature, and understand the separate offences of stalking and harassment.
To raise awareness of these issues by identifying champions for these issues across the police force similarly to that already undertaken by Devon and Cornwall Constabulary.
To consider nationally whether MARAC victims can be added to the exemptions for immediate referrals to and acceptance by mental health crisis teams instead of insisting upon a GP referral.