A verdict for all future, past and present victims of domestic violence

There were “missed opportunities” to protect a young mother found stabbed to death at her Salford home after state agencies provided her with “insufficient” support, an inquest has concluded.

A jury found Regan Tierney, 27, was “unlawfully” killed by her former partner Daniel Patten in June 2019 after a decade-long relationship during which she was subjected to coercive and controlling behaviour, intimidation, verbal abuse, physical violence and threats.

Her family had to wait five years for the inquest into the case to be completed, which began on July 11 at Bolton Coroner’s Court and ended on Friday (July 19). In an emotional statement at the end of the inquest, Regan’s sister Shannon thanked the coroner and jury on behalf of Regan and “all past, present and future victims of domestic violence”, telling them: “Stand up, speak out, you are not alone.”

LEARN MORE: Regan Tierney inquest: Jury returns findings in murder-suicide of 27-year-old mother killed by ex

Regan’s medical cause of death was recorded as Type 1A: multiple stab wounds. During the inquest, the jury heard evidence from a number of witnesses including police officers, medical professionals and Regan’s friends and family.

They were told that Regan had been the victim of violence by Patten since they met in 2009, when she was just 17. The first call to police about Patten’s violence was in August 2009, when Regan’s mother told officers that he was “holding Regan by the neck.” At the time, Regan denied it, but later told officers that he had “strangled” her early in their relationship.

Shannon described the relationship as “on and off,” but spoke about how Regan had two children with Patten and fell in love with being a mom.

“When I first met Daniel, he would come in with bottles of vodka and do cocaine,” she said. “For the first three years, the relationship seemed fine and I wasn’t aware of any real problems.”

She added that Patten had become “mean” after drinking, and that this had culminated in an incident just before his niece’s first birthday, she told the court, when he “beat up” Regan while the couple were at a party. Shannon received a panicked call from the host, who told her that Regan had been found “choking on her own blood”. At the hospital, Shannon found her sister sitting in the back of a police van with a broken nose.

Patten was convicted of assault and given a three-year suspended sentence, the court heard. For a time, the abuse appeared to stop. But in a police statement read out to the court, Shannon said Patten subjected Regan to “emotional abuse” after his sentence ended.

Jurors heard that police were called to Shannon’s home in 2018 following an explosive argument on a night out, when Patten allegedly threatened to “stab” Shannon and her partner Alan, and “drive his car into their house”. After an abandoned 999 call, it took officers six days to get to Shannon’s home.

Giving evidence, Sergeant Claire Bailey and Detective John Morris told the court they had been assigned to a “welfare check” at Shannon’s home and were not aware of any history of violence between Regan and Daniel.

In his report read out to the court, PS Bailey described the incident as “a two-sided argument with empty threats”. Officers then went to see Regan, who PS Bailey said appeared “happy”.

Police were called again by Regan in May 2019, just weeks before her death. Jurors were able to read transcripts of calls between Regan, her father David and call handlers.

David Tierney made the first call on his daughter’s behalf on May 25, jurors heard, telling police that Patten had “repeatedly threatened” her. Regan also called GMP shortly afterwards and asked for “an order or injunction” to keep Patten away from her.

She told the caller, “He said he was going to kill me. Put my head on a stake. Kill whoever I’m with. It’s getting really scary.”

It took GMP officers three days to visit Regan. Jurors were shown police video of her telling officers that Patten had been “harassing” her and threatening to “ruin her life” and “throw acid in her face” since their break-up seven weeks earlier.

She also told police that Patten said he would “kill” his new romantic interest, and that Patten threatened to “put her head on a stake,” adding: “I can’t take him seriously. He just loses his temper.”

In the video, she told officers she wanted to “avoid” Daniel being arrested, adding that he was a “good father”. Giving evidence, one of the officers present, Constable Stephen Roxburgh, said Regan had appeared “calm” and “businesslike” about the situation with Patten.

He told the court they carried out a domestic violence, stalking and honour-based violence (DASH) risk assessment during the visit – a mandatory task for any domestic violence call.

However, he admitted that the assessment was “incomplete” and, in part, “incorrectly” completed, when pressed by Emma-Louise Fenelon, representing Regan’s family.

In their conclusion, the jurors called Regan’s risk assessment and final risk rating, which is “standard,” “inaccurate.” They also found that the police had failed to assess those risks at an acceptable level.

They said she did not receive enough support and protection from state agencies and should have been offered additional support, such as options for a non-molestation order or a restraining order against Patten.

“It is not possible to determine whether this could have prevented his death, but it is possible that it did,” they said.

Professional curiosity was deemed “unsatisfactory” and jurors found that state agencies had “missed opportunities” to support and protect Regan, and that “all options” had not been explored with her regarding handling the abuse.