Mum, 24, called 999 'screaming' days before partner murdered her, inquest hears
A mum-of-three who was brutally stabbed to death by her partner had called 999 "screaming" just days before her murder, an inquest has heard.
Danielle Richardson, 24, died after she was knifed by her boyfriend Michael Marler, then aged 37, multiple times in a drug-fuelled rage at an apartment in Ancoats, Manchester, in February 2018. Marler - who admitted stabbing Danielle but denied her murder - was later found guilty of murder at trial and sentenced to 21 years behind bars at Manchester Crown Court in August 2018.
Now, almost six years after her death, an inquest launched at Manchester Coroner's Court has now heard evidence surrounding Danielle's previous contact with Greater Manchester Police - including the days leading up to her horrific death. A jury heard evidence from Danielle's family members, who submitted statements revealing more about the nature of her relationship with Marler. The family labelled the relationship "abusive" and "controlling" - and told the court how, while she was in his presence, would "go quiet" and "become a recluse".
Danielle - who suffered multiple stab wounds in the vicious attack including to her face, neck and also 11 times to her back - was found dead in the Shush apartments, Swan Street, on the morning of February 13. The pair had booked two nights there while renovation work was ongoing at Danielle's house. And cops later recovered her body after Marler had jumped from the window of the flat and went on a violent rampage across Ancoats - damaging cars and attacking more people.
During the inquest hearing, the jury was played a 999 call that Danielle made on February 8, five days before she was murdered. In the audio footage, she was heard "screaming" and pleading "Let me out" and "why are you punching me?" to her attacker.
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Police are seen outside Shush Apartments on Swan Street, Manchester city centre, where a woman was found stabbed to death (MEN Media)After the call was cut off, a handler then rang Danielle back - but Danielle denied calling the police, instead claiming she was "getting ready for work". Once the call had been reviewed, Alan Hayes, a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) with Greater Manchester Police at the time, was tasked with visiting the address the call was made from, on Mortar Street in Oldham, and performing a welfare check.
The inquest was told that Mr Hayes had "no training in attending domestic abuse calls" as he was a PCSO not a police officer. However, he told jurors that, at the time, he had not been given the full details on the log and was only told he was following up an "abandoned 999 call".
The inquest heard he called at the address shortly after 4pm that day but nobody answered the door. At around 9.30am the following day, February 9, Mr Hayes returned but there was no answer again. At 11.26am, when visiting the address once more, Mr Hayes eventually spoke to Danielle. She apologised and told him her children had been playing with her phone when the 999 call was made.
“I asked if I could come in but she said she was getting ready to go out. She said it was children playing on her phone, and she apologised sincerely. There were children's toys on the stairs behind her, so I had no reason to believe there were not any children there," he told jurors. “Danielle was calm; not stressed in any way; no signs she had been crying. I could see her arms and her neck and there were no bruises or marks on her.”
Danielle Richardson, 24, died after she was knifed by her boyfriend (MEN MEDIA)Officers visited Ms Richardson again for a welfare check after 999 call was reviewed
After the 999 call was reviewed again, officers decided the log should be reopened and decided a further welfare check was required as it was "not the voice of a child" - but rather a "woman in distress", raising suspicions it could be related to a potential domestic violence incident. The court heard how police constable Anthony Johnson and his colleague Daniel Knight, who was training at the time, attended later in the evening of February 9. The officers spent two minutes and 20 seconds at the address, with bodycam footage played out to court.
While at the property, the officers spoke to Danielle in the living room at the flat, with Marler also present in the room. The footage showed her informing them she had already been spoken to earlier that day by PCSO Hayes. PC Johnson, who had received domestic abuse training, said there were no concerns for Danielle's welfare following the visit. He said he knew the log had been reopened but he "could not recall" whether he had received information on the logs about the nature of the 999 call prior to the welfare check.
He also said in evidence that it was not always common practice to read the logs when carrying out a welfare check, but that he could have done or radioed for further details. He continued: "There was nothing at the scene that indicated there was a domestic assault incident or that there was any requirement to follow up after the visit."
Danielle gave a statement to the police but later retracted it
On Monday, jurors hearing the inquest were also told of a number of other instances in which Marler had been violent and abusive towards Danielle. Reading evidence from the previous criminal trial, senior coroner Andrew Bridgman detailed one episode in August 2016 in which Marler kept Danielle prisoner in her flat for three days. Marler prevented her from leaving, ripped up her clothes and urinated on them, and also poured hot tea on the bed and made her lie on it. There were a number of other incidents where she was left with black eyes and bruising at the hands of Marler since over a period of 3 years since they met in 2015.
Danielle had previous contact with police regarding her relationship - which also took place in 2016 - and the jury heard she reported Marler's violence towards her. In a statement at the time, she said she felt "worthless", had "become a prisoner in her own home" and wanted to end her own life.
Ms Richardson suffered multiple stab wounds in the vicious attack including to her face, neck and also 11 times to her back (MEN MEDIA)"I can't cope anymore," she said. "I have hidden my injuries and lied to my family and the police - not anymore, it's time for the truth. I will end up dead if I go back to him this time." However, she later retracted her statement after Marler persuaded her to do so. After Danielle's death, the case was referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC) due to the contact she had with Greater Manchester Police prior to her death.
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A post mortem noted Danielle's cause of death as multiple stab wounds. She was found with 'major stab wounds' that were ‘severe’ and required a ‘high level of force’, the inquest was told. She was also found with incised wounds to her hands and forearms that were 'consistent with defence injuries', showing she had tried to fight off the knife attack. She also had 'significant bruising' including to her nose, eyes and forehead.
A statement released by Danielle's sister Nicole Richardson and read out in court, said: "Danielle was a bubbly and caring person to everyone. She would make friends with everyone. She was never a quiet child, and there was never a quite moment with her around. She will always be a bright light in our lives.
"Dannii met Michael in 2015. Their relationship was not pleasant, and she made a police report in 2016 about the abuse she endured at the hands of Michael. Over the time they were a couple, she was always withdrawn, lost her bubbliness and become more and more secretive. She loved him whether he hurt her or not."
And her mum, Jeanine Cowie, said in a statement: “He was very controlling and abusive. He controlled her movements. He started hitting her and she would become a recluse. She would go quiet for long periods of time by not answering texts or calls or the flat door. One time I went around to the flat and heard her coughing but she didn’t answer the door."
If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk. If you are struggling with your mental health, Samaritans are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 116 123.
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