16 Oct The Lincolnshire Senior Coroner sitting with a jury has returned a conclusion of unlawful killing following the death of Daniela Santo on 9 April 2020.
The Lincolnshire Senior Coroner sitting with a jury has returned a conclusion of unlawful killing following the death of Daniela Santo on 9 April 2020.
The jury, having heard evidence from officers of Lincolnshire Police, gave a narrative conclusion and made critical findings of the officers which included that there were “significant missed opportunities to safeguard Daniela and her children”. The Jury also found that there was a “failure to carryout a full investigation of all the available evidence. If these actions had been carried out then the former partner on balance would have remained in custody” on the evening of the 8th April 2020.
Daniela had been the victim of domestic abuse and controlling and coercive behaviour over a long period of her time by her then partner. During the 11 months prior to her death, she contacted the police six times and disclosed domestic abuse including strangulation, choking, escalating abuse, isolation from friends and family, financial abuse, excessive jealousy and threats to kill.
On the morning of 8 April Daniela was assaulted by her partner who was arrested and interviewed by police. He was released on bail later that day, following which he returned to Daniela’s flat and assaulted her again. If he had remained in custody that evening he would not have returned home, assaulted Daniela and she would not have died that night.
The Coroner instructed an independent expert in policing and controlling and coercive behaviour, one of the first times this has happened.
The Coroner will write to the IOPC in relation to serious concerns raised by the family about its wholly inadequate report into this matter and its failure to produce an accurate transcript of a CCTV recording during the course of its investigation.
Lincolnshire police officers accepted that coercive and controlling behaviour should have been identified, investigated and pursued.
Daniela’s mother says:
“I am very pleased that Daniela’s voice has been heard and our concerns about the failures of Lincolnshire Police have been verified. Our beloved Daniela did not need to die that evening if the police had done their job in safeguarding her. We are pleased that the abuse she suffered has been made public in the hope that other victims of coercive controlling behaviour do not have to suffer in the same way. We will always miss her terribly.”
Matthew Gold, solicitor for the family says:
“This inquest has brought to light the horrible and cruel nature of domestic abuse and coercive controlling behaviour. It has highlighted the serious failings by Lincolnshire Police in risk assessing, safeguarding and protecting Daniela from her former partner. It has highlighted the failures of police to recognise, investigate and arrest the perpetrator for CCB with devastating consequences. Hopefully, the changes put in place by the police as a result of Daniela’s death will reduce the risk of this happening again, only time will tell.”
Daniela’s family were represented by Shaheen Rahman KC and Emma-Louise Fenelon, instructed by Matthew Gold of Gold Jennings.
For further information or comment contact Matthew Gold on 0778 696 8602 or matthew@goldjennings.co.uk