By Sammie Jones-
A domestic homicide review report will be explored into the death of a couple in Yorkshire. Reviews of this type look into the circumstances in which someone has died.
Reviews of this type look into the circumstances in which someone has died. Domestic homicide reviews reports come into play when death has resulted from domestic violence, abuse, or neglect.
A post mortem revealed the civil servant had suffered three stab wounds to the right side of her chest. At a third pre-inquest review hearing in Wakefield yesterday (Mon Oct 31), West Yorkshire Coroner David Hinchliff said a domestic homicide review report has been produced.
The aim of the review is to establish what lessons are to be learned from the death, regarding the way in which local professionals and organizations work individually and together to protect victims; both within and between agencies. It also takes into account time scales, and the practicality of the sort of changes to be expected.
Domestic Homicide Reviews were introduced by section 9 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 (DVCA 2004). Despite the existence of this reviews, domestic violence at dangerous levels still exists in many homes and families, begging the question of how effective these reviews have been in preventing deaths caused by domestic violence.
Domestic homicide reviews involve interviewing significant people who may have known the victim and include information from participating agencies. It is still worth asking why the interactions of a number of agencies during periods of known domestic violence are not able to prevent a death by causing a permanent separation between parties involved in domestic violence.
West Yorkshire coroner, Mr Hinchliff said he would also be instructing an independent clinical psychiatrist to produce a report on the care and treatment Mr Ashworth had received.
It is unclear whether the report will reveal details of any domestic violence that may have occurred between the pair. At inquest openings in March, Wakefield Coroner’s Court heard staff at the Leeds Becklin Centre, a mental health service run by Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, had contacted Mr Ashworth’s GP practice at Gibson Lane in Kippax on March 26 2014.
The inquest held in March heard that Mr Ashworth had been admitted to the Becklin Centre after he had attempted suicide. The court heard he was discharged with medication on April 16, and was considered at risk of suicide. It is believed the strain of their relationship may have taken its toll on Ashworth, who first killed his wife before setting the house on fire.
A man at risk of suicide is generally also a risk to his partner, especially where there is a history of domestic abuse. This should have been obvious to the authorities, but for some reason they didn’t see this. Individuals who are suicidal are a walking time bomb. Many of them can at any point decide to first take somebody else out before taking themselves out. Suicidal individuals are particularly dangerous in circumstances of domestic violence because they can strike their death blow anytime. The full inquests will commence at Wakefield Coroner’s Court on January 9 and have been scheduled for three weeks.