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
Durham review
CSP: DurhamPublished: February 2025Year of death: 2021Extracted: 7 recs
Statutory domestic homicide review under section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. Source: Home Office DHR Library.
The review identifies concerns regarding the victim's inconsistent engagement with support services, often due to fear of losing child contact. It also highlights missed opportunities by agencies in risk assessment, information sharing, and proactive intervention regarding the serial perpetrator's history of abuse.
Home Office classifications
40 tags
Source-supplied classifications used by the Home Office to catalogue this review.
Victim - alcohol misuse
Victim - housing issues
Victim - mental ill health
Victim - anxiety
Victim - depression
Victim - self harm
Victim - suicidal thoughts
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
Children - subject to child protection or domestic abuse prior to homicide
Children - removed into care
Perpetrator - substance misuse
Perpetrator - mental ill health
Perpetrator - neurodiverse condition diagnosis
Perpetrator - known to agencies as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to police as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to social services as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to mental health services as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to idva or other domestic abuse support service as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to probation services as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to others as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to friends as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - known to family as a domestic abuse perpetrator
Perpetrator - supervised by probation services
Aggravating factors - separation
Aggravating factors - sexual abuse
Aggravating factors - psychological or emotional abuse
Aggravating factors - physical abuse
DHR process - family contributed to dhr
DHR process - family received draft report
DHR process - health services recommendations
DHR process - probation services recommendations
DHR process - community safety partnership recommendations
DHR process - identification of risk recommendation themes
DHR process - training recommendation themes
DHR process - multi agency working recommendation themes
DHR process - awareness raising recommendation themes
DHR process - other recommendation themes
Extracted recommendations
7 recommendations pulled from the report · 1 matched to organisations in the index
Addressed to
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG) should consider a local review of interactions with victims of domestic abuse where the victim’s children have been removed from their care. This is a multi-agency piece of work which needs to consider the options that will both continue to safeguard the children but also to present goals for the victim of domestic abuse to achieve, if they are to increase their contact time, or ultimately achieve the return of their children to their care. Any victim of domestic abuse should be provided with all the information necessary to remove themselves from harm, be open and honest with professionals and make informed decisions. The importance of reporting any domestic abuse incidents must be clear, especially when dealing with a victim within a chaotic or abusive relationship. Any progress should be shared with the Durham Safeguarding Children Partnership.
Addressed to
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group should receive multi-agency reassurance that there has been a proportionate review of procedures and protocols for serial and repeat perpetrators of domestic abuse that sit outside the existing MATAC process. Recent reviews of MATAC has shown it to be an effective system to manage the most prolific offenders. But MATAC must prioritise the cases if it is to maintain its effectiveness.
The Probation Service went through significant structural changes in 2021. During this review, gaps were identified in the quality and consistency of some risk assessments and risk management plans of offenders who had perpetrated domestic abuse. This Domestic Homicide Review highlights it would be appropriate for managers to confirm to the Safe Durham Partnership, that new structures are embedded, staff are supported, and processes are working effectively.
Addressed to
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group should conduct an audit of the local Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme procedures. DVDS is a multi-agency process. By reviewing a sample of cases (both ‘right to ask’ and ‘right to know’), the DASVEG can receive assurances that processes and decision-making are proportionate and protecting potential victims.
Addressed to
Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
The Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group should receive reassurances from health organisations that they have measures in place to audit the use of routine and selective enquiry. This should apply to any cases where practitioners have concerns about the nature of physical injuries presented.
The Safe Durham Partnership should convene a multi-agency learning event to highlight the incidents, processes, decision-making and learning identified during this Domestic Homicide Review. The delegates will be frontline practitioners and their line managers, who may encounter victims and perpetrators of domestic abuse.
All agencies should review their training programmes for domestic abuse in line with workforce development. The DHR identified many agencies had not received domestic abuse training or refresher training for over three years. This is understandable given the pressures from the Covid-19 pandemic, but all agencies should now ensure that training of frontline professionals and their managers is brought up to date.