A verdict for all future, past and present victims of domestic abuse

There were ‘missed opportunities’ to protect a young mum found stabbed to death at her Salford home after state agencies gave her ‘insufficient’ support, an inquest has concluded.

A jury found Regan Tierney, 27, was killed ‘unlawfully’ by her former partner Daniel Patten in June 2019 following a ten-year relationship during which she was subjected to coercive and controlling behaviour, intimidation, verbal abuse, physical violence and threats.

Her family have faced an agonising five-year wait for her inquest, which began at Bolton Coroner's Court on July 11, and concluded on Friday (July 19). In an emotional statement at the end of the inquest, Shannon, Regan's sister, thanked the coroner and jury on behalf of Regan and ‘all past, present, and future domestic violence victims, telling them: “Stand up, speak out, you are not alone.”

READ MORE: Regan Tierney inquest: Jury deliver conclusion after mum, 27, killed by ex in murder-suicide

Regan’s medical cause of death was recorded as 1A multiple stab wounds Over the course of the inquest, the jury heard evidence from a number of witnesses including police officers, health professionals, and Regan’s friends and family.

They were told Regan had faced abuse at the hands of Patten since they met in 2009 - when she was just 17. The first call ever made to police about Patten’s violence was in August 2009, when Regan’s mum told officers he ‘held Regan by the throat’. At the time, Regan denied this, but later told officers he had ‘strangled’ her early into their relationship.

Shannon described the relationship as ‘on and off’, but spoke of how Regan had two children with Patten, and fell in love with being a mum.

"When I first met Daniel he would come round with bottles of