Woman was wrongly believed safe before murder - report

Gemma Marjoram was a devoted mother of three, her family said

Authorities showed a "misplaced belief" that a domestic abuse victim was safe before she was murdered by her husband, a safety review has found.

Gemma Marjoram, 38, was stabbed more than 20 times by Michael Cowey, 49, at a derelict mental health hospital in Thorpe St Andrew, near Norwich, in June 2020.

A domestic homicide review (DHR) found that while "much work" was done to safeguard her in the months before her death, her perceived level of risk had been "reduced" as the couple had separated.

Cowey admitted murdering his wife and was jailed for at least 23 years in December 2020.

A police investigation found he had a history of "violent, controlling and coercive behaviour" against multiple previous partners.

Michael Cowey subjected his wife to financial abuse, isolation, stalking and threats to kill, the review found

The DHR report found Ms Marjoram - who was not named and instead referred to as "Lynne" - had separated from her husband in the months before she was killed but "out of fear, and as a way of managing him to keep herself safe" allowed him "back into her life".

The report said: "Whilst it is clear that much work was done to safeguard her, there was a misplaced belief that she was safe because she had separated from him and thus the risk was reduced.

"The review identifies once again that the point of separation is when victims are at their most vulnerable.

"All those charged in the safeguarding process need this point uppermost in the delivery of their services."

Cowey fled the scene of the murder and was arrested later that day in Warwickshire

An investigation into Ms Marjoram's death found that on 19 June 2020 Cowey "lured" her to the disused hospital to talk, but instead confronted her about relationship issues, which caused an argument.

Using knives he had hidden in his socks, he attacked her.

She was found severely injured by members of the public, who called emergency services and she died at the scene.

Her family later described her as a "devoted mother".

The DHR, carried out by Norfolk Community Safety Partnership, made a series of recommendations to agencies including Norfolk Police, Norfolk County Council and Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System.

The reviews aims to help agencies improve their responses to domestic abuse and work better together to prevent such deaths.