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: September 2023Year of death: 2012Extracted: 8 recs
Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.
The review identified concerns regarding the police's assessment of malicious communication and witness intimidation complaints, and the GP practice's provision of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) information and continuity of patient care. Workplace inter-racial tensions and DVA awareness were also noted.
Home Office classifications
29 tags
Source-supplied classifications used by the Home Office to catalogue this review.
Victim - mental ill health
Victim - depression
Children - under 18 shared parental responsibility (between perpetrators)
Perpetrator - case heard in court
Perpetrator - issued life sentence
Perpetrator - alcohol misuse
Perpetrator - mental ill health
Perpetrator - suicidal thoughts
Perpetrator - serious or life limiting illness
Perpetrator - known to agencies as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to police as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to others as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - immigration involvement
Aggravating factors - coercive or controlling behaviour
Aggravating factors - stalking
Aggravating factors - digital stalking
Aggravating factors - psychological or emotional abuse
Aggravating factors - economic abuse
DHR process - family contributed to dhr
DHR process - police recommendations
DHR process - health services recommendations
DHR process - employer 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 - record keeping recommendation themes
DHR process - awareness raising recommendation themes
DHR process - other recommendation themes
Extracted recommendations
8 recommendations pulled from the report · 5 matched to organisations in the index
Addressed to
Avon & Somerset Constabulary | Crown Prosecution Service
It has been recommended that there should be increased requests by police officers for ACRO checks on foreign national suspects, witnesses and victims. Although these checks are currently available the recommendation includes measures to increase awareness and use by police officers and CPS lawyers such as awareness training, and internal publicity. This recommendation would not have had an impact on the outcome of this case
A recommendation that a system is put in place to ensure that STORM logs are closed with an appropriate supporting rationale if no Guardian crime or incident report is to be raised. Measures were already in place to implement this recommendation and have since been enacted. Logging and recording issues noted in this case are unlikely to arise in the future. Again this recommendation would not have had an impact on the outcome of this case
The Avon & Somerset Constabulary must ensure that all complaints of witness intimidation are thoroughly investigated. It is crucial that the police enforce this serious offence. First to protect witnesses and to ensure witness cooperation. Secondly to protect the integrity of judicial proceedings and the judicial system. It cannot be asserted that this recommendation if followed would have changed the outcome.
Addressed to
Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group
The panel recommends that the Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group writes to all GP practices urging them to regularly check waiting areas to ensure that DVA resources are available and given priority space. This communication should be addressed to the Senior Partner, Practice Manager and named DVA Lead if known.
Addressed to
Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group
The panel recommends that the Somerset CCG recommends to GP Practices that they are familiar with both CAADA and the RCGP websites that have good guidance on responding to domestic violence and GP e-learning. NICE guidelines published February 2014.
The SSP will evaluate whether liaising with other large companies in the area is a worthwhile route to disseminating information about local specialist services.
Addressed to
Safer Somerset Partnership | Somerset County Council
Review the existing SCC website with a view to including either an easily accessible central direct point of information or links to DVA data in Somerset. To include An overview of the DHR process and links to published DHR reports. Reviews, audits and inspections of services related to Somerset DVA services e.g. HMIC’s review of Avon & Somerset Constabulary’s approach to tackling domestic abuse (2014) current statistics and data captured by organisations such as the Avon & Somerset Police, Somerset Intelligence Network (SINE) and voluntary sector (eg BCHA), Somerset Survivors. Relevant SCC policies and reports e.g. Somerset Interpersonal violence strategy downloadable literature and resources relating to national and local specialist DVA services including leaflets and posters in English and other languages Links to relevant websites as below such as www.somersetsurvivors.org.uk