N'taya Elliott-Cleverley, Rose Marie Tinton, Helen Joy.
All three women were brutally killed in their own homes by the men they loved and trusted to protect them.
They were all killed over the course of just four days in January 2021, in a series of horrifying domestic abuse cases that left Merseyside reeling.
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The news of their deaths came at a point where Merseyside once again found itself in the grip of a national lockdown.
Spiralling coronavirus rates meant the tough restrictions that had characterised so much of 2020 were reinstated across our region.
These restrictions forced us all back into our homes and meant that for countless women experiencing domestic abuse, their nightmare was far from over.
Emergency services and voluntary organisations across Merseyside reported a rise in domestic abuse incidents over the lockdown period - and the deaths of three women in such a short space of time served to highlight the terrifying reality faced by so many women who were trapped at home with their abusers.
There were 34,421 domestic abuse-related incidents reported to Merseyside Police in 2020-21, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show – around 94 a day on average.
Police recorded 26,789 of the incidents as crimes, which was up from 26,037 the previous year and 11,766 in 2015-16.
Now, with each tragic case having been heard in open court, we looked back at a weekend that rocked Merseyside and what it tells us about the frightening rise in domestic abuse during the pandemic.
N'taya Elliott-Cleverley - killed by her boyfriend on January 29, 2021
"Brave, strong, fearless" - these were the words used to describe N'taya by her sister, on the day her killer was jailed for life.
N'taya was only 20 years old when she was murdered in her own home by her boyfriend, Nigel Diakite, while their tiny baby slept beside her.
Diakite launched a brutal attack on N'Taya on the day she was moving out because of his domestic violence. He strangled her to death with a skipping rope in bed, while their four-month-old daughter was in a cot next to them.
Diakite was previously accused by N'taya of assaulting her on October 6, 2020, just two weeks after their baby was born. In police bodycam footage, she told officers he put his fingers down her mouth and bruised her left arm by grabbing it.
N'taya made a retraction statement a day later, in which she said her allegations were true, but she no longer wished to support a prosecution because it was "too much for me to cope with". The mum said she just wanted to concentrate on her baby, had put a deposit down for a new property, and intended to move there alone. Just hours before her murder, she was texting her mother about moving arrangements.
N'taya's murder is tragically representative of the horrors faced by so many young women who found themselves trapped at home with abusive and dangerous men.
Neil Frackelton is the CEO of Sefton Women’s and Children’s Aid (SWACA), a domestic abuse charity based in Sefton. SWACA works with victims and survivors or domestic abuse - and Neil said the charity saw a worrying increase in referrals in the wake of the national lockdown.
Speaking to the ECHO, Neil said: "When the pandemic started in March 2020, we saw an initial reduction in referrals when women were trapped within the home and it was hard to reach out for support.
"We initially saw a drop in referrals - but as the lockdowns have ended, we have seen a significant rise in referrals. We are also seeing service users and women who have not accessed services previously."
Neil also noted the number of younger women who are accessing help through SWACA, which has led him to believe Merseyside is seeing a rise in male aggression among younger men in particular.
While Neil admits this theory, based on his own first-hand experience, may be hard to evidence, he believes more young women are becoming involved in abusive relationships.
He fears this may be due to changing perceptions around relationships and the increased prevalence of coercion and control.
Neil, 53, said: "When I was younger and in my 20s, domestic abuse was more hidden - it was not part of a normal relationship.
"It still isn't part of a normal relationship, but now younger women are having to deal with male aggression and they think it's normal for their partner to be abusive, coercive and controlling. They don't have the information about their rights, and their right to say no."
SWACA is working to tackle this by working with young people in schools to educate them on the importance of consent and boundaries in intimate relationships.
Rose Marie Tinton - killed by her own son on January 29, 2021
On the same day N'taya lost her life at the hands of a violent and controlling partner, another woman was killed by a man who she loved and trusted.
Rose Marie Tinton, more commonly known as "Marie," was discovered inside her house by police officers.
Pathologists said 82-year-old Rose Marie Tinton had been struck at least 30 times during a frenzied attack.
Her son, Andrew, has since been detained in hospital under the mental health act after admitting to using a lump hammer to kill his mum in their Southport home.
Shortly after the killing, Tinton tried to take his own life by jumping from a railway bridge near Kirkdale station. Liverpool Crown Court was told Tinton had lived with mental health problems for almost 30 years and was receiving treatment for paranoid schizophrenia for much of that time.
Psychiatrists treating him said he appeared to be largely compliant with the medication and appointment regime set out for him by doctors and was coping with the condition. That changed rapidly against the backdrop of the pandemic, as well as the death of his dad, who doctors said was a central figure in his life.
At first, it appeared that he was coping fairly well but he told psychiatrists he found lockdown restrictions difficult.
Tinton later said he heard voices that “told him to kill himself and his mother”.
With our region's health services stretched to breaking point during the pandemic, staff found it harder to offer the care required in some cases.
Julian Nutter, defending Tinton, said that, despite the efforts of staff, changes to Tinton’s treatment as a result of covid were likely to have had an impact on their ability to treat him.
This was echoed in Neil's experiences of working with domestic abuse cases during lockdown. He said: "There are times when the system misses triggers and opportunities to pick up on domestic abuse.
"SWACA is trying to do more frontline training with health agencies in spotting those signs to see when a patient indicates they are experiencing some sort of domestic abuse."
He added that Marie's death at the hands of her own son is tragically not an uncommon case.
Neil said: "We have seen a rise in child on parent violence and abuse. That has grown quite significantly.
"That's where a child is abusing a parent and mum or dad are experiencing the danger. It's still domestic abuse and mum is the victim."
Helen Joy - killed by her partner on February 1, 2021
Just three days after the shocking news of N'taya and Marie's deaths, Merseyside was rocked once again by the news another woman was found dead in her home.
Helen Joy was found with 121 external injuries at her Leasowe flat on Monday, February 1. The 54-year-old had suffered a bleed on the brain, broken nose and neck bones, 14 broken ribs and shearing of her scalp and upper gum away from her skull and jaw respectively.
Her partner, Kevin Ashton, claimed Helen's horrific injuries were self-inflicted as he peddled lie after lie from the witness stand during his murder trial.
When he was finally arrested he had the audacity to then moan: "My f***ing bird is dead, and I'm getting the blame for it now."
Helen's body was only found after Ashton's dad "did the right thing" and reported her death - something his son had shamelessly avoided doing.
Liverpool Crown Court was told Ashton had three previous convictions for common assault against Ms Joy, in 2015, 2018 and 2019.
A mutual friend stood before the jury and recalled Helen telling her Ashton had beaten her for years and described seeing him jab a cider bottle in her face.
Neil said: "With the pandemic we got a lot of service users re-engaging with us because they have moved in and out of abusive relationships."
Women who find themselves trapped in a cycle of violence and abuse were particularly vulnerable during the pandemic, as restrictions left them trapped with partners who would subject them to a campaign of control, coercion and terror.
Neil added: "The three women who lost their lives [at the end of January 2021] is the extreme end of the risk but there are so many women who don't lose their lives but live a scared and controlled life [because of domestic abuse]."
Unsurprisingly, Neil said the four days during which N'taya, Marie and Helen were killed stays in his memory as a 'terrible weekend' and one which underscores the bleak reality of abuse during lockdown for so many women.
What did Merseyside Police say?
Merseyside Police referred the ECHO to the following statement, which was released in the wake of the deaths of N'taya, Marie and Helen in 2021.
"Sadly in the last two weeks three families are struggling to come to terms with the loss of family members as a result of domestic abuse in our region.
"The three women ranged in age from 20, to 54 to 77, and the incidents happened in Liverpool, Southport and Heswall respectively, this goes to show that domestic abuse is not unique to any age group, or demographic, and we never know who may be suffering behind their own front door and closed curtains.
"The number of domestic abuse crimes have increased year on year since 2016, with further significant increases in the past year. Between the 1 April 2020 and 30 November 2020 we saw an increase in reports of domestic abuse of 10.4 per cent compared to the same period the previous year. That equates to 18,782 victims for the period between 1 April 2020 and 30 November 2020, but we know that this crime is under-reported and there are probably more victims who are suffering in silence."
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ACC Ian Critchley, said: “My thoughts are with the three women who have tragically lost their lives as a result of domestic violence and I know that nothing I say will heal the pain their families are suffering. But I hope that by speaking out today that if there any victims of domestic abuse who need help that they will come forward and let us know.
“This year particularly has been challenging for everyone, but for victims of domestic abuse who are suffering from continued cruelty and violence it must be intolerable. For abusers it is easier for them to coerce or physically abuse their victims, who are probably feeling more isolated and alone than they would under normal circumstances. And I can’t stress enough that if home is not a safe place for you then we want you to know that you are not alone and you do not have to stay at home if it is not safe to be there.
“We want you to know that we are here to help, so please talk to us. If you are in immediate danger, always call 999. If you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak to us then cough, or tap, the phone and press 55, when prompted. This will alert the operator that you need assistance and we will provide support.
“Alternatively there is a new scheme to help victims called “Ask for Ani” which gives victims an opportunity to reach out for help at pharmacies, including Boots, without making their situation obvious to other members of the public, or alerting their abuser. Victims who ask for Ani at pharmacy counters will be taken by a staff member to a private space where they can be put in touch with the police, support services and helplines.
“The force also continues to use domestic violence prevention notices and the relevant disclosures as part of the ‘right to know ‘ and ‘ right to ask ‘ scheme as a means to prevent domestic violence and domestic abuse."
ACC Critchley, added: “I want to appeal to family, friends and neighbours who strongly suspect that someone is being subjected to domestic abuse to tell us, or to urge their loved ones to make the right decision for their own safety and peace of mind.
"Domestic abuse is a complex issue and can take many forms including psychological, financial, sexual, emotional and physical. Alcohol and drugs are never the root cause of domestic abuse, nor can they ever be used to justify it.
“Every domestic incident is unique and the background to each one can be very complex, it is not just people who are married/in a relationship, domestic abuse can be a child on a parent and vice versa and we don’t deal solely with female victims. As a result we use the right specialist resources whenever we can so that the victims of this abhorrent and under-reported crime are protected and their needs are put first.
“Protecting our most vulnerable communities is one of the force’s priorities and we realise that being able to support and advise victims of domestic abuse has never been more important that it is now.
“I want people to feel reassured that our work remains firmly focussed on investigating crimes, protecting and supporting victims and bringing offenders to justice."
ACC Critchley, who also chairs the Strategic Domestic Abuse Group for the region continued: “The three needless and tragic deaths that have occurred in our region bring into stark focus what many victims suffer from every single day. Each of these deaths will be subject to a Domestic Homicide Review.
“Sometimes no matter what we put in place, we cannot unfortunately prevent all homicides. But that won’t take away our desire and commitment to prevent as much domestic violence as is humanly possible, whilst continuing to encourage anyone who has suffered to be confident of what we have in place and how we will support victims and their families with our whole partnership response. The region has received increased funding during the Covid pandemic to tackle domestic abuse, but we know there are more victims who need our help and support.
“I am extremely grateful for the continued work of all our frontline professionals and support agencies who have worked tirelessly to support victims during the last 10 months of the Covid pandemic. We moved to weekly meetings with our strategic partners to ensure our front line response wasn’t affected. We continue to review demand for services, such as refuge provision in light of increases in crimes reported, and we also manage the impact on the judicial system on victims, witnesses and our ability to continue to bring offenders to justice and use criminal and civil orders as part of our safeguarding response.
“Crime Prevention leaflets have been sent to more than 25,000 homes and businesses across Merseyside to provide national and local support services for victims of domestic abuse, and to highlight that support from the police and independent domestic abuse support services are still available during lockdown. The leaflets also highlighted the 999 system with the use of the double 5 digit silent call, . If you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak to us then cough, or tap, the phone and press 55, when prompted. If you ring 999 and are not in a safe position to speak to us then cough, or tap, the phone and press 55, when prompted. This will alert the operator that you need assistance and we will provide support.
“At Merseyside Police and across the whole partnership we are blessed to have passionate and dedicated colleagues working hard every day to help protect victims. That makes it more distressing when we see the tragic and needless loss of life and the impact on families left behind, but it also renews our commitment to make continued improvements and help those suffering – we need everyone in our communities to help us rid society of this scourge of domestic abuse that effects so many victims and their families.”
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