‘Staggering’ number of domestic abuse victims taking own lives
The vast majority of suspects in domestic abuse cases where the victim has taken their own life are known to the police, according to a new report.
Over the past four years, data shows that 92% of suspects in cases of domestic abuse suicides were known to authorities – as one police chief admits “there is an awful lot” for forces and other agencies to “learn and improve” to prevent future deaths.
“I’m really concerned,” said Louisa Rolfe, the Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and national police lead for domestic abuse.
She told Sky News the number of deaths in a domestic setting are a “staggering and intractable problem”.
The report for England and Wales also shows the number of people taking their own lives following domestic abuse is higher than the number of victims killed by an ex or current partner – for the second year running.
In the 12 months to March 2024, 98 people were suspected to have taken their own life following domestic abuse, while 80 people were killed by a partner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council report says.
In 79% of the suspected suicide cases, either the victim or perpetrator were known to other agencies, such as mental health services and domestic abuse specialists.
Since 2020, the most common form of death recorded in a domestic setting has become suicide following domestic abuse.
Ms Rolfe said the trend was “incredibly sad”.
“We’ve been working with other agencies and we’re really, really keen that we work together to understand how we can prevent these sad deaths… and what we might do to ensure that every victim receives the best possible response from us”, she added.
Victims ‘not being protected’
Deborah Jones runs a small domestic abuse charity in Barnsley, working with victims from across the country.
She says 90% of the women she supports have had suicidal thoughts, while a “large number” have made attempts on their life because “they just can’t see a way out”.
Deborah Jones says domestic violence victims are ‘passed from pillar to post’ by authorities
“Once they’ve reported something that is happening to them, they’re not being protected,” she said. “If they get referred to a service, nobody seems to want to catch them.
“They’re just being referred on to another service… being passed from pillar to post.”
Sky News joined a support session as victims talked about their experiences, where they described the “relentless torment” of their abuse.
Others said they had been “dismissed as mentally ill” and said reporting domestic abuse can be “re-traumatising”.
One woman said she was asked to recount her story “five times” in one day.
Kiena Dawes, Jessica Laverack and Kellie Sutton are three young women who took their own lives following a history of domestic abuse.
Ryan Wellings was the first defendant in England to face trial for the unlawful killing of his partner after her suicide following domestic violence.
Kiena blamed her partner for her death in a suicide note. He was cleared of her manslaughter, but sentenced to six and a half years in prison for controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault.
After the inquests into the deaths of Jessica and Kellie, coroners issued prevention of future death reports.
In Kellie’s case, the coroner said “matters of concern” included “a lack of understanding of controlling and coercive behaviour […] and the impact on victims”.
Kiena Dawes took her own life. Pic: Lancashire Police
After the inquest into Jessica’s death, the coroner called for more “recognition of the link between domestic abuse and suicide”, saying “processes and policies do not seem to include this serious area to the extent that is required”.
Earlier this month, Sky News spoke to Sharon Holland, whose daughter Chloe took her own life in 2023. Sharon is urging the government to consider tougher sentences for those convicted of coercive control.
‘Difficult’ to identify coercive behaviour, detective says
At Cheshire Police headquarters, the serious case review team examines deaths that have happened in domestic settings.
The team identifies some of the factors that can lead to suicide, in order to help agencies improve their response to domestic abuse and prevent future deaths.
“Coercive and controlling behaviour is by far the highest risk indicator for domestic suicide,” said Detective Nikki Brown.
She said it can be “difficult” for authorities to identify what that behaviour looks like and said officers need to ask “direct” questions.
Another common factor is “separation”, with victims vulnerable after a relationship ends, while perpetrators can become persistent as they’ve “lost that control”.
“They just can’t let it go,” said PC Colin Charlesworth, while out on patrol doing welfare checks on victims with protection orders in place. “They’re obsessed… and want to make their lives a misery. We lock them up, send them down, they’re still doing it from prison.”
Other factors identified in the report include mental ill health, and alcohol and drug misuse.
‘Devastating’
Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls (VAWG), said “every death related to domestic abuse is a life cut short and a devastating tragedy”.
“The better we understand the links between domestic abuse and homicides, suicides, and unexpected deaths, the better equipped we are to prevent them from happening in the first place,” she added.
Ms Phillips said the policing report “rightly demands coordinated action across government, police and partner agencies to tackle these issues head on”.
“Our upcoming VAWG strategy will set out our ambition and concrete actions to strengthen our response to perpetrators and deliver on our mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade,” she said.
Anyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK. In the US, call the Samaritans branch in your area or 1 (800) 273-TALK.
Liverpool have won the Premier League title after a 5-1 victory over Tottenham at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s men did it in impressive style, turning over Spurs in a convincing win.
It was a rocky start for the Reds after Dominic Solanke put the north London side ahead.
However, fortunes quickly changed in the first half as Liverpool scored three times without a response.
Captain Virgil van Dijk (centre) celebrates. Pic: Reuters
Salah on his knees in celebration after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Liverpool’s Harvey Elliott (below) and Jarell Quansah celebrate after full-time. Pic: PA
Slot cheers after the full-time whistle. Pic: AP
In the second half, it took until the 63rd minute for Mohamed Salah to make it 4-1 before a fifth followed.
The Reds have won the title in manager Arne Slot’s first season in charge, and move level with fierce rivals Manchester United on 20 league championships.
But it makes them arguably the most successful English club ever as they have won more European Cup or Champions League titles.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk told Sky Sports after the final whistle: “It’s special and it’s something that we don’t take for granted. It’s amazing.
“A lot of emotions before the game, during the whole week, but we got the job done and we (are) truly deserved champions of England. (Liverpool is) the most beautiful club in the world and I think we deserve all of this. Let’s enjoy the next couple of weeks and let it sink in.”
Liverpool’s Kostas Tsimikas poses with a Premier League trophy cut out. Pic: Reuters
Manager Arne Slot and his team after the final whistle. Pic: AP
Slot took over last summer from Jurgen Klopp, who guided them to their previous and maiden Premier League title triumph in 2020, when the COVID-19 lockdown saw matches played behind closed doors.
He is the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League and the fifth man to do so in a debut campaign after Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Manuel Pellegrini, and Antonio Conte.
Speaking to Sky Sports he said: “They [the players] did an outstanding job today. The main job was to win. Everyone said we had got it already. But we had to make sure and we got over the line.”
Several players, including Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah, played leading roles in both the 2025 and 2020 campaigns.
Van Dijk and Salah recently signed new contracts extending their careers at the club.
Mohamed Salah takes a selfie with fans after scouring the fourth Liverpool goal. Pic: AP
Fans at Anfield during the game. Pic: AP
Fans in the stands at Anfield before full-time. Pic: Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait until the final game of the season – at home to Crystal Palace on 25 May – to be presented with the Premier League trophy.
It will be the first time the club’s fans will have seen their side lift the top-flight title in person since 1990.
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Two pro-Palestinian demonstrators have thrown red powder on Tower Bridge – just moments before leading runners in the London Marathon went past.
The protesters were arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance and remain in custody, said the Metropolitan Police.
A video shared by Youth Demand, which is calling for a trade embargo on Israel, shows two people jumping over a barrier that separates spectators from the race course.
The pair, wearing t-shirts that say “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel”, are then seen standing in the middle of the road on the bridge.
Pic: LNP
They throw red powder in the air as an official marathon car goes past displaying the race time.
A motorbike with a cameraman on board continues along the route, while a second motorbike stops and one of the riders gets off and pushes the pair out of the way, just before the men’s elite runners pass.
Several police officers then jump over the barrier and detain the pair, the footage shows.
There appeared to be no impact on the marathon.
More than 56,000 participants were expected to take part in the 26.2-mile race through the capital.
Sabastian Sawe of Kenya won the men’s elite race in a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds, while Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa shattered the women’s-only world record in two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.
Assefa beat the previous best of two hours, 16 minutes and 16 seconds set last year in London by Kenyan Peres Jepchirchir.
Read more:
Sky’s Beth Rigby running marathon in honour of ‘dearest friend’
Badenoch does not rule out local coalitions with Reform
Pic: LNP
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “At around 10.38am, two protesters from Youth Demand jumped over barriers at Tower Bridge and threw red paint on to the road.
“Marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters from the path of the men’s elite race which was able to pass unobstructed.”
The force added that they were “quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance”.
The Met said the paint “appeared to be chalk-based” and was not expected to “present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point”.
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