A "violent" ex tracked down his former partner after she escaped his alleged abuse - just months before she was found dead. Jessica Laverack, known as Jessie, moved around 60 miles away from her home to escape Patrick Walsh, an inquest into her death has heard.
Mr Walsh allegedly abused Jessie, and on one occasion is said to have grabbed her by the throat, Hull Live reports. Yet Mr Walsh was able to track her down - and is said to have sent her a letter before turning up at her home unannounced.
Jessie, who moved across Yorkshire from Rotherham to Beverley in 2017, was described as a "fiancé" by Mr Walsh - who told the court the pair "very much loved each other" the day before she died. She was found dead at her home on February 2, 2018, aged 34.
Mr Walsh told Hull Coroner's Court on Friday: "We were talking about moving away from everyone, starting afresh." He told the inquest his last conversation with Jessie was on February 1, 2018 and that she "seemed quite cheerful" and was looking forward to the weekend and seeing Mr Walsh and his son.
The inquest heard on Friday how police had charged Mr Walsh with assaulting Jessie, but the case was dropped at court when she withdrew the claim. Mr Walsh, who denies abusing Jessie, has been granted "interested persons" status at the inquest, which means he is able to question any witnesses who give evidence.
The inquest heard how Jessie moved to Beverley in the summer of 2017 to escape Mr Walsh, who allegedly abused her and on one occasion is said to have grabbed her by the throat. Both offences he denies.
Jessie's death was subject to a domestic homicide review - the first of such a case in the East Riding of Yorkshire. These are held in cases where a death "has, or appears to have, resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by a person to whom they were related or with whom they were, or had been, in an intimate personal relationship, or a member of the same household as themselves".
The inquest heard Jessie was classed as "high risk" at an East Riding Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC) on September 5, 2017, shortly after she moved to Beverley. In the same month, the police and agencies became aware that Mr Walsh had found out where Jessie had moved to.
The inquest heard claims he sent a letter to Jessie, before turning up outside her home. He is alleged to have tried to see and take Jessie's pet dog, who she adored.
An East Riding Domestic Violence and Abuse Partnership (DVAP) worker noted in the course of her interactions with Jessie that she reported being "petrified" and scared of leaving her home after Mr Walsh had found out where she lived. The inquest also heard on Thursday how police officers were aware Mr Walsh knew of her address, but were inexperienced and did not appreciate the gravity of the situation.
It has also been related how Jessie was also in touch with mental health and alcohol addiction support services, as well as DVAP. Mr Walsh said in court that the pair were in a relationship since about Summer 2014.
He confirmed that police had investigated allegations of domestic abuse in relation to him and their relationship, but he had never been convicted. On one occasion, he was charged with assault on May 13, 2017, but this was dropped when Jessie withdrew the claim.
He confirmed that Jessie moved to Beverley into a home owned by her family in August 2017 and the pair had split up in July. However, he said that in late August, Jessie got in touch and gave her address to him.
Mr Walsh then said that he asked why it had taken so long for her to get in contact again, to which he reported Jessie telling him she'd been on a family holiday in Florida. He claimed they resumed a relationship in September, though acknowledged her step-father only became aware in the New Year and said: "We both very much loved each other."
In response, Assistant Coroner Lorraine Harris asked how the claim they loved each other fitted with evidence heard of reports made by Jessie to multiple agencies of fears that he would kill her. Mr Walsh replied: "What a lot of people don't know, when she was highly intoxicated she'd come up with a lot of stuff that wasn't true."
Ms Harris queried that she was not always intoxicated when talking to people from the agencies offering her support. "I would not know, ma'am," responded Mr Walsh.
The coroner asked him: "Did you appreciate that the idea of taking the dog away from Jessie would cause increased anxiety?" Mr Walsh replied: "I won't answer that, ma'am."
He confirmed he had contacted Jessie's mum about retrieving property and the dog, Achilles, after Jessie had moved to Beverley, and said he had concerns for the dog's wellbeing. Asked whether Jessie spoke about wanting to end the relationship in January or February 2018, he said they talked on the phone about how the relationship should be: "We were talking about moving away from everyone, starting afresh," Mr Walsh said.
Ms Harris asked: "Were you trying to distance her from her family?" Mr Walsh replied: "No, not at all, if anything, it was the other way round."
He said he had been aware of Jessie's alcohol and mental health issues. Mr Walsh said: "We were about two months in our relationship when I've seen evidence of some sort of drink or alcohol dependency."
He said he became aware she took Sertraline, medication to treat anxiety and depression, through picking up prescriptions from the local chemists and Jessie opening the prescription at home. Mr Walsh's last conversation with Jessie was on the evening of February 1.
He said they had not had any argument, she indicated no thoughts of suicide and asked to describe her mood, said she "seemed quite cheerful", looking forward to the weekend and seeing Mr Walsh and his son. Prior to Mr Walsh's evidence, the contents of a handwritten note by Jessie across three sides of A5 paper found by her family in a drawer in the Beverley home in the weeks after her death were read out.
The note addressed her issues with alcohol and stated: "I'm sober and will stay that way." It also said: "I also know I'm scared of you and that's so hard to say out loud and tell you that."
The inquest is set to conclude on Monday.
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