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: Durham Published: February 2025 Year of death: 2021 Extracted: 7 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 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.

Extracted recommendations

7 recommendations pulled from the report

#	Recommendation	Addressed to
1	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.	Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
2	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.	Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
3	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.	Probation Service
4	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.	Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
5	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.	Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence Executive Group (DASVEG)
6	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.	Safe Durham Partnership
7	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.	All agencies
Recommendations extracted from the published report. Source: Home Office DHR Library. View full report ↗