Review highlights the importance of risk assessment and information sharing for managing offenders
A Domestic Abuse Related Death Review*(DARDR) into the death of Bobo (pseudonym) has today been published by the Norfolk Community Safety Partnership (NCSP) and Hackney Community Safety Partnership (HCSP). This review, with the involvement of Bobo’s family, has enabled lessons to be learned by the agencies who participated in the review and will be shared as widely as possible to reduce the risk of such tragedies happening in the future.
Bobo was 57 when she was killed by her partner in 2020. During their relationship she had suffered physical and emotional abuse, coercion, threats, intimidation, isolation and economic abuse. The perpetrator was able to coercively control and abuse Bobo from prison and continued to do so after his release.
The learning and recommendations coming from the review identified the importance of recording and sharing information between agencies to highlight risk factors; assessing the risk to those communicating with detainees; recording of third-party reports of domestic abuse and sharing that information with family and other agencies; and the implementation of routine enquiry from agencies to identify domestic abuse, economic abuse and substance misuse.
The recommendations are actioned through a multi-agency action plan, which is monitored by the Hackney Community Safety Partnership and the Norfolk Community Safety Partnership and have been undertaken since Bobo’s death.
Mark Stokes, Chair of the Norfolk Community Safety Partnership said: “The Review Panel and the members of the Norfolk Community Safety Partnership would like to offer their sincere condolences to Bobo’s family and friends.
Bobo was a much-loved daughter, mother, sister, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend. In the words of her family “to know Bobo was to love her” and we are so grateful to Bobo’s family for their involvement in this review, which has provided a valuable insight into Bobo as a person, and some of her experience of agencies. This review aims to use their contribution and the work of the panel to bring improvements for other people and to help prevent future tragedy.”
Bobo’s sister said: “No one should have to live in fear or silence. This review is not just about what happened – it’s about what must change. We owe it to those we’ve lost, and those still with us, to listen, to learn, and to act. Let this be a turning point where compassion, accountability, and safety becoming the standard, not the exception”.
The full DARDR into the death of Bobo can be found here
*A Domestic Abuse Related Death Review (DARDR), formerly known as a Domestic Homicide Review, is a locally conducted, multi-agency review of the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by a relative, partner or member of the same household. DARDRs were established on a statutory basis by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004.
A DARDR panel consists of key members of staff from statutory, non-statutory, third sector and charitable agencies who provide support for victims of domestic abuse. Working together in this way will ensure the voice of the victim is addressed through the lessons learnt and recommendations of this DARDR.
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