Death of murder probe victim Kay Martin sparks domestic homicide review by Sunderland partnership

Flowers were left outside the home in Shrewsbury Crescent, Humbledon

Kay Michelle Martin, 49, and her husband Alan Matthew Martin were found dead at a home in Shrewsbury Crescent, Humbledon, on the evening of Thursday, September 20.

Police had been called the the home after receiving a report of concern for a woman at around 8.30pm.

Northumbria Police launched a murder investigation into Kay's death.

Detectives said there was no third-party involvement in Alan's death and at an inquest opening a coroner said he appeared to have killed himself.

Now the Safer Sunderland Partnership is preparing a domestic homicide review which looks into deaths which resulted from violence, abuse or neglect.

A murder investigation was launched into Kay Martin's death

Family members of Kay, whose maiden name was Richardson, attended the pre-inquest review today at Sunderland Coroners Court at Sunderland's Civic Centre.

Sunderland's senior coroner Derek Winter adjourned the inquest into Kay's death until Monday, July 22.

He said the only documents he has been able to share with the family so far is the post-mortem, which was carried out on September 22.

The coroner's office is awaiting further documents mainly a report by an independent officer of police conduct which is due to arrive in the next six to eight weeks.

He said: "There is also a domestic homicide review that the Safer Sunderland Partnership is preparing.

"It won't be finalised until after the inquest, that too will help me decide the direction of travel with the inquiry that will be undertaken."

A spokesman for Sunderland City Council has confirmed the domestic homicide review is being carried out by the Safer Sunderland Partnership.

A domestic homicide review is carried out when the circumstances in which the death of a person aged 16 or over has or appears to have resulted from violence, abuse or neglect by a person whom he/she was related or had been in an intimate personal relationship, or a member of the same household.

Domestic Homicide Reviews are multi-agency reviews and are carried out to make sure lessons are learned regarding the way in which local professionals and organisations work individually and together to safeguard victims.

Their purpose is not to reinvestigate the death or apportion blame.

The partnership includes Sunderland City Council, Northumbria Police, Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, National Probation Service and Northumbria Community Rehabilitation Company.

At the pre-inquest review, Kay's family also raised concerns that they did not want a inquest into both Kay and Alan's death to be held together.

Alan was at the centre of a murder probe surrounding Kay's death

A pre-inquest review into the death of the 53-year-old, from Gardiner Square, Grindon, will be held tomorrow at 10am.

At the inquest opening on September 27 last year, Mr Winter said: “Mr Martin appeared to have killed himself but formal cause of death is yet to be confirmed.”