1. Safe in East Sussex
  2. Professionals
  3. Reviews into deaths from domestic abuse
  4. Review into the death of Joan

Review into the death of Joan

Published November 2024

Summary

The death of a woman in her late 70s, known as 'Joan' for the review. The perpetrator received a hospital order with a sentence of manslaughter with diminished responsbility.

Issues identified

  • Eric was Joan’s carer, and may have been experiencing carer stress prior to Joan’s death. Whilst he did not seek support for carer stress, how Eric was coping in the role of carer does not appear to have been raised by professionals. 

  • There was no evidence to suggest that Eric was violent or abusive to Joan prior to her death. 

  • Despite ongoing contact with professionals, it does not appear that routine enquiries were made regarding domestic abuse.

Lessons learned

  • Professionals should be aware of the various support options available for informal carers.

  • Unfortunately, domestic homicides cannot always be predicted and prevented.

  • Routine enquiries allow victims of abuse to make disclosures and receive support.

Actions we are taking

  • Raising awareness about the role of carers. If someone is struggling with caring responsibilities, contact Health and Social Care Connect or Care for the Carers for local support. Carer’s Trust provides information on what caring is and how caring responsibilities affect the lives of carers. The East Sussex commitment to carers sets out how partners will meet the needs of carers in East Sussex

  • Promoting this Safe Lives resource, which frontline professionals can use in routine enquiries on domestic abuse. The resource includes information on the warning signs of domestic abuse and the 5 Rs of enquiry – recognise & ask, respond, risk assess, refer, record.

  • Raising awareness of elder abuse. This Your East Sussex article includes signs and types of abuse, as well as how to report elder abuse and neglect locally. Hourglass, the UK’s only charity focused on the abuse and neglect of older people, also has some useful information. Safeguarding concerns should always be reported to Adult Social Care and Health, and 999 should be called if someone is in immediate danger.

Overview report

This report is not yet on the online Home Office Domestic Homicide Review Library. For a copy of the report, email SafeinEastSussex@eastsussex.gov.uk