At least 95 women were killed by men known to police over the course of five years
ITV News Calendar reporter Amelia Beckett has been investigating dozens of murders of women killed by men that were known to police.
An ITV News investigation has found that at least 95 women were killed by men known to police over the course of five years.
In 20 of those cases police failings were identified, while at least 14 cases are still under review.
In response to the findings the Safeguarding Minister told ITV News she is “relatively confident” that in five years’ time the government will have reduced that number.
Jess Phillips said: “Everything will have been done to seek to reduce that number and there is no shortage of will here at the Home Office and in this government.
“So, yes, I feel relatively confident that in five years time we will reduce the incidences of violence and in that we will reduce the incidences of fatal violence.”
Of the 95 cases ITV News analysed from 2019 to 2023, the majority of men were previously known to police as perpetrators of domestic abuse.
One of those was Daniel Patten.
He stabbed his ex-partner Regan Tierney to death in her home in Manchester as their children slept in the room next door. He then killed himself.
The mother of two had repeatedly contacted police for help, after years of domestic abuse.
Eight days before she was murdered, police visited her after Patten had threatened to “put her head on a spike”, but their domestic violence risk assessment was left incomplete and in parts incorrect.
An inquest in July found Regan had received insufficient support and protection from agencies and that there were missed opportunities to help her. The inquest concluded it was possible that this additional support and protection could have saved her life.
Her sister Shannon Tierney and brother-in-law Alan Shaw were two of the first on the scene after Regan’s murder.
Shannon’s grandfather received a call from Daniel saying: “You need to get the kids. I’ve killed Regan.”
“We had to go and wake our daughter up. And we got her into a taxi. And as soon as we got there, I just knew.
“I just jumped out of the taxi, sprinted over. And one of the officers, I’ll never forget this, he grabbed me and pushed me backwards. And I said, ‘I told you this was going to happen.'”
Shannon had known for years that Daniel had been abusive and controlling. In 2009, Patten attempted to strangle Regan. The following year, he smashed a window at their home in a temper. In 2012, he broke her nose at a friend’s house, and was later convicted.
Five years on, a domestic abuse referral form was sent following another episode of abuse. In 2018 and 2019, he made multiple threats to kill Regan and members of her family. In April 2019, Regan finally asked Patten to leave and the following month, she met a new partner.
However, when a partner leaves an abusive relationship the risk to them can increase if the perpetrator feels a loss of control.
While Regan changed the locks to her house she failed to change the lock on the garage door. Patten took a key, broke in and stabbed her to death.
Shannon and Alan say they partially blame the police for what happened.
“There’s no trust, there’s no faith”, they said.
“They’re a public service, they’re meant to protect Regan and they didn’t.”
Dad kills ex-partner before taking own life in tragic murder suicide
Explainer
Daughter spoke to police five times before she and her mum were murdered
The National Police Chiefs’ Council has been working with academics since 2020 to study every domestic homicide and suicide following domestic abuse in England and Wales.
Last year it found 68% of victims and/or perpetrators of domestic homicides were known to an agency, while 54% were known to police.
They say this highlights the importance of a prompt, robust police response from the outset of a report.
But in 20 cases we analysed, police failings have been identified.
In one case, a victim made a number of allegations that the perpetrator had sexually assaulted her, stalked and harassed her and left the children alone in the flat so he could follow her.
Despite this, the officers decided not to arrest him. The following day he killed her.
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In another case, officers failed to recognise coercive and controlling behaviour, which became an offence in 2015. Despite this, it was revealed in an inquest none of the officers who attended before the victim’s death had received any training in coercive and controlling behaviour.
Had the perpetrator been arrested for the offence, the coroner suggested he would not have been bailed and allowed to go on and kill her.
One of the government’s manifesto commitments was to halve violence against women and girls in the next decade, but police chiefs, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner and Victims Commissioner all recently warned the Prime Minister he will fail to meet that target without significant investment in services.
The Safeguarding Minister told ITV News she will always want more funding.
“Of course I will always want more, of course I will want to spend as much as possible on all of these things.
“However, throwing money at poor performing police forces… making more of that bad practice isn’t going to change things.
“Cultural change, changing the standards of how things are done, we’ve got to start doing things and funding things that stop this happening in the first place.”
She added: “I would say to every police force in the country that what they currently do isn’t good enough and needs to be improved. And we will work alongside them to improve that.
“It’s very, very tiring when I am told lessons will be learned and they aren’t learned.”
A recent strategy implemented by the government called ‘Raneem’s Law’ saw domestic abuse specialists embedded in five police control rooms across the country.
It followed the death of Raneem Oudeh, 22, and her mother Khaola Saleem, 49, who were murdered by Ms Oudeh’s ex-partner in 2018.
On the night of the murders, Ms Oudeh had called West Midlands Police four times to register concerns for her safety, and the force had previously responded to 10 domestic abuse incidents linked to the case.
One of the forces taking part in the trial is West Midlands Police.
ITV News was given access to see the specialists in operation.
Maia Mason, force contact supervisor said: “In the first three months we’ve seen a 40% increase in the first month alone, of call handlers showing that professional curiosity specifically when it comes to those vulnerable factors which can have a massive role to play when it comes to victimization.
“Each time that someone calls through they need to feel supported, they need to feel believed. Because if they don’t have that first time round it could affect if they ever call through again which could put them at real risk.”
Raneem’s aunt Nour Norris, who campaigned for Raneem’s law said: “It makes me feel really emotional that Raneem and Khaola’s lives are going to be living forever, they’re going to save lives and help others.
“It has taken years to get to this point and it needs to be rolled out nationwide.”
In the case of Regan Tierney, a spokesperson for the Greater Manchester Police said: “We have fully accepted the conclusion of the coroner at Regan’s inquest last August. We understand that there were missed opportunities identified and acknowledge that improvements made to ways of working since will not take away the pain from Regan’s family. Greater Manchester Police’s improved response to domestic abuse has helped halve homicides since 2021 and is seeing more victims kept safe from offenders.”
Domestic Abuse Advice and Support:
Refuge
Refuge supports more than 6,000 clients on any one day, helping them rebuild their lives and overcome many different forms of violence and abuse.
They have a step-by-step guide online as well as an interactive tool about how to secure your phone if you suspect technology-facilitated abuse is happening to you.
- If you, or someone you care about, is experiencing domestic abuse, you can call The National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.
The Revenge Porn Helpline
The Revenge Porn Helpline supports all adult victims of intimate image abuse living in the UK. This includes those who have had private sexual images shared without consent, threatened to be shared without consent, or taken without consent. We also provide advice and information to those targeted by sextortion and webcam blackmail.
- If you have been a victim of intimate image abuse, a helpline practitioner can give you advice and support. The number is 0345 6000 459.
- Or you can send an email or online live chat.
Women’s Aid
Women’s Aid is the national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children. They have been at the forefront of shaping and coordinating responses to domestic violence and abuse through practice for more than 45 years.
- You can send an email to a Women’s Aid domestic abuse support worker.
- Or you can use their online live chat.
Freedom Project
The Freedom Project is a free domestic abuse charity based in West Cumbria, working with victims, perpetrators and children suffering from trauma and effects of domestic and sexual abuse.
- You can contact the helpline by phone: 07712 117986.
- Or you can send a form on their website.
ManKind:
The Mankind Initiative is the principal, expert and specialist charity in the UK focussing on male victims of domestic abuse.
The charity collaborates and works in close partnership with other organisations and practitioners to support these victims too. It was the first in Great Britain to support male victims.
Aurora Police use new tool help save woman during domestic abuse incident
by: Vicente Arenas
Posted: Nov 13, 2025 / 07:43 PM MST
Updated: Nov 13, 2025 / 07:45 PM MST
AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — New officer bodycam footage shows terrifying moments of what police say was an Aurora woman being held against her will.
According to the Aurora Police Department, neighbors had reported hearing the woman scream for help.
When police responded to the home, they forced their way in with new tools officers are now carrying in their cruisers. The rescue was also captured on the Aurora Police Department’s body-worn cameras.Free on Your TV • FOX31+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung
“Come to the door with your hands up make yourself known,” an Aurora officer said as he was trying to get the alleged suspect to come out of the home last week.
When no one answers, Aurora officers break into the home.
The Aurora agency said officers knew the woman could be in potential danger after neighbors reported that a man had knocked on a woman’s door repeatedly throughout the day.
“The same man climbed through a window on the side of the home and then they heard screaming from the inside the home,” said Gabby Easterwood, a spokesperson for the Aurora Police Department.
Aurora police used a device called a halligan tool, along with a sledgehammer, to get in through the home’s front door. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up to get breaking news sent to your inbox
The Aurora agency said the tools were paid for by the Aurora Police Foundation and that most police cruisers are equipped with them now. According to Easterwood, the tools allow officers to get into a space quickly without having to wait for a SWAT team.
“It’s also something where we are utilizing SWAT a little bit less. So this is something our patrol officers can use,” Easterwood said.
FOX31 has previously reported on the department’s changed SWAT polices after a shooting involving an officer resulted in the death of an unarmed man last year.
In Domestic violence cases, counselors say seconds matter in cases like this one.
“It is critical. Domestic violence escalates very quickly and having that initial immediate response can interrupt violence and save lives. The rapid response is important and also be prepared to provide resources to the survivor such as those offered at Porchlight to receive the support they need,” Porchlight A Family Justice Center Executive Director Candace Cooledge said.
Court records obtained by FOX31 indicate the woman had two broken ribs as a result of the incident and had been put in a chokehold before police arrived.
The police department said officers during the incident also used K-9s and a drone to track the suspect down. According to police, the suspect was later found hiding in a tool shed when he was arrested.
Aurora police say the 52-year-old man in this case is facing a number of charges, including domestic violence and false imprisonment.
