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
Stoke-on-Trent review
CSP: Stoke-on-Trent
Published: August 2023
Year of death: 2018
Extracted: 4 recs
Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.
View full report (PDF) ↗
Source: Home Office DHR Library
Summary
The report identifies concerns regarding the timeliness and quality of pre-sentence reports, particularly the availability of police call-out information, which may impact risk assessment and safe sentencing in domestic abuse cases. It also highlights issues with the speed of multi-agency risk assessment processes and the need for courts to receive updated information for adjourned cases.
Extracted recommendations
| # | Recommendation | Addressed to |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Stoke-on-Trent Community Safety Partnership should request further information from the National Probation Service (NPS) on the number and percentage of domestic abuse cases in its area where information requested about previous police “call outs” has been received in time to be included in pre sentence reports; | Stoke-on-Trent Community Safety Partnership |
| 1 | Report authors must ensure Pre-Sentence Reports must always state explicitly whether information included has been verified. | National Probation Service |
| 2 | The Stoke-on-Trent Community Safety Partnership should explore with the National Probation Service (NPS) the feasibility of gathering information, when Covid-19 restrictions allow, on the number and percentage of domestic abuse cases in its area where: (i) probation officers have concluded that that they cannot complete sufficient risk assessment to submit a safe sentence recommendation due to the unavailability of information; (ii) adjournments are requested by NPS, whether these were granted, and if so, the length of the adjournment; (iii) how the figures in relation to Stoke-on-Trent cases compare to other parts of the West Midlands; | Stoke-on-Trent Community Safety Partnership |
| 3 | The Stoke-on-Trent Community Safety Partnership should bring to the attention of the HM Courts and Tribunal Service (HMCTS) at a national level, the issue identified through this DHR, as to how courts can check whether there is new information which should be taken into account to inform sentencing in cases concerning offences related to domestic abuse that have been adjourned, and / or committed to Crown Courts. | Stoke-on-Trent Community Safety Partnership |
| Recommendations extracted from the published report. Source: Home Office DHR Library. View full report ↗ | ||