The tragic death of a Llandysul woman has sparked a domestic homicide review

The body of Patricia Durrant was found at her home address at Clydfan, High Street, Llandysul, on March 3, last year.

A homicide investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police led to her co-habitee, James Hamilton being charged with her murder.

In accordance with the requirements of the Domestic Violence, Crimes & Victims Act, 2004, this matter was reviewed by the Ceredigion Community Safety Partnership, and a decision was taken to undertake a Domestic Homicide Review into the circumstances which led to this death.

A Ceredigion County Council spokesman said: “The purpose of a Domestic Homicide Review is to seek to improve responses to domestic violence and aim to prevent the recurrence of such cases. These reviews do not seek to lay blame, but consider what has happened, and what could have been done differently. The reviews also recommend actions to improve responses to domestic violence situations in the future.”

The Domestic Homicide Review Panel for this case is independently co-chaired by Professor John Williams and Kate Williams, both of the Law & Criminology Department, Aberystwyth University. Panel participants include senior representatives from the Hywel Dda University Health Board, Ceredigion Local Authority, Dyfed-Powys Police, the Ceredigion Domestic Abuse Forum, and a general practitioner working in Ceredigion.

James Hamilton, appeared at Swansea Crown Court on October 31, when he entered a plea of guilty to Manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility. This plea was accepted by the judge, and he has been made the subject of a Hospital Order with a Section 41 of the Mental Health Act requirement, which means that he cannot be released without the consent of the Home Secretary or Mental Health Tribunal.

The Domestic Homicide Review Panel is now inviting public contributions to the review, and says it is committed to seeking a community response with a view to assisting its work, including identifying ways in which all agencies could better work together, and with the public.

To contribute call 01970 622735, email khw@aber.ac.uk, or write to Professor John Williams / Kate Williams, Department of Law and Criminology, Aberystwyth University, Elystan Morgan, Building, Aberystwyth, SY23 3AS.