Solihull murders: Domestic abuse victims ignored, says MP

Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips urged the government to ensure police responded to all domestic abuse reports

Women who call police to report domestic abuse are being routinely ignored, an MP has claimed.

Shadow minister for safeguarding Jess Phillips spoke in the Commons after an inquest found police errors had contributed to the murder of two women who repeatedly called for help.

"Today and every day women will call the police and no-one will come," said Ms Phillips.

The government responded that tackling domestic abuse was a "priority".

Khaola Saleem, 49, and her daughter Raneem Oudeh, 22, were fatally stabbed outside Mrs Saleem's home in Solihull on 27 August 2018.

They were attacked by Ms Oudeh's estranged husband Janbaz Tarin while she was on the phone to police, begging for officers to intervene.

A jury at their inquests found police errors had contributed to their deaths, after opportunities to carry out intelligence checks were missed.

Raneem Oudeh (left) and her mother Khaola Saleem died outside Mrs Saleem's home in Solihull in 2018

Birmingham Yardley MP Ms Phillips said domestic abuse incidents had risen and prosecutions fallen since the murders.

In a question to the Minister for Safeguarding Sarah Dines, Ms Phillips said: "As her government has done with burglary, will the government commit that every single domestic abuse incident will receive a police response?

"Can I ask the minister why this man was not being properly monitored or managed in the community, as is the case in thousands of other violent perpetrators?"

Responding, Ms Dines said the "tragic" case required a joint response.

"I don't want to see a single case continuing. One more death is one death too many," she said.

The government's strategy for tackling abuse set out how offenders would be pursued, the minister added, with £75m set aside to work with perpetrators.

Tarin was jailed for life in December 2018 after admitting the murders.

Five officers have been served with "management action" by the Independent Office for Police Conduct over missed opportunities to prevent Ms Oudeh and Ms Saleem's deaths.

West Midlands Police has apologised to the family.