Before the appalling murders of Elinor O'Brien, Regan Tierney and Jessica Patel, a similar pattern had been emerging behind closed doors.
All three women - who died at the hands of their partner or former partner, had seen every part of their lives controlled by the person supposed to love them most.
Elinor O'Brien, who was killed by her sadistic boyfriend, Kevin Mannion, at his Manchester city centre flat in August last year, had been subject to controlling and coercive behaviour throughout their relatively short relationship.
