The sister of a woman stabbed to death by her abusive ex-partner pleaded for victims of domestic abusive to ‘stand up and speak out’ after an inquest found authorities missed chances to save 27-year-old mother Regan Tierney.

Shannon, sister to Regan, thanked the jury and coroner on Friday as the inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court concluded after a long five years of waiting for the verdict that Regan had been killed ‘unlawfully’ by her former partner, Daniel Patten, in 2019.

She expressed gratitude on behalf of her sister and ‘all past, present and future domestic violence victims’, urging victims: ‘Stand up, speak out. You are not alone.’

Regan Tierney was found stabbed to death at her Salford home in June 2019 after a ten-year relationship in which she was subjected to coercive and controlling behaviour, intimidation, verbal abuse, physical violence and threats.

The jury was told Regan – a mother of two – had faced abuse since she met Patten in 2009, aged just 17. Opportunities were ‘missed’ to intervene, the inquest concluded, as state agencies offered ‘insufficient’ support.

Patten, 31, was found with critical injuries and died shortly after killing Regan in an apparent murder-suicide. 

Regan’s body was discovered by her father in a semi-detached house in Salford in June 2019. 

Her medical cause of death was later recorded as 1A multiple stab wounds.

For years, Regan had reported threats to the police, but none were deemed a high risk situation, the court heard previously. 

Incidents dated back ten years, with Regan’s mother calling police in August 2009 – just after they had met – to tell officers he had ‘held Regan by the threat’.

At the time, Regan denied this, but later told officers he had ‘strangled’ her early into the relationship.

There were also missed opportunities to protect the young mother by Bolton NHS Foundation Trust A&E after she presented with a broken nose in October 2012, a report found.

Patten eventually received a suspended sentence for an attack on Regan, the court heard.

Shannon said this had taken place after Regan said she wanted to go home and he did not.

‘He got in her face and punched her,’ she told the hearing this month, appearing in court with a T-shirt with a picture of Regan printed on it.

‘She fell to the floor and Daniel continued to punch and stamp on her.’

After the suspended sentence, the physical abuse appeared to stop for some time.

But Shannon told the inquest ‘there was a lot of mental abuse’ that followed.

‘He would send her messages telling her she was fat, she was horrible and no other man would want her.’

Shannon said the relationship with Daniel was ‘on and off’. In June 2019, she updated her Facebook relationship status to say she was dating someone new.

She told Daniel as she ‘did not want to lie to him’.

She said he had asked calmly if she was seeing anyone else and when she confirmed she was, he sent her a chilling message that read: ‘He is dead.’

PC Stephen Roxburgh, who visited Regan after she’d filed a complaint, told the court there were no signs she was in ‘grave danger.’ 

Regan called Greater Manchester Police and told the call handler: ‘He said he’s going to kill me. Have my head on a spike. Kill whoever I’m with. It’s getting quite scary.’

It took police three days to visit Regan, as reported by the Manchester Evening News. 

The threats came just 11 days before Regan’s body was found.

Following her death, GMP made a referral to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

At the time the Domestic Homicide Review was published in September 2021, the IOPC’s report had not been published.

Regan was described by her family as a lovely young woman who had ‘everything to live for.’

In a statement released following her death, they said: ‘She was a loving mum who loved family life, she will be greatly missed by her two children and family.

‘Regan was taken from our lives too soon. She was a beautiful daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, and an amazing mother. We will forever cherish the memories.’

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline at any time of day or night for confidential, non-judgmental support and information at 0808 2000 247. 

You can also find help by calling the UK police non-emergency number on 101, if you need support or advice and it is not an emergency. If you’re in immediate danger, always call the police on 999.