My daughter's dad was killed by a monster 10 years ago today - there's still so much work to do on domestic violence
Today, Mahalia Edwards will take her baby daughter to a memorial bench for her father.
She will lay flowers and think about all the milestones he has missed - because it’s 10 years to the day since Chorley solicitor David Edwards was killed by his wife - weeks after getting married.
Mahalia was just seven-years-old at the time. Now 17 and with a seven-week-old baby of her own, she feels his loss even more. Mahalia’s mum Debra, said: “Mahalia feels it's very important to remember him on Saturday and to take Isabella to his bench. She has felt his loss more since having her baby she says Isabella will never meet him and he would have been besotted with her. David was a lovely man, a good dad and would of been a good grandad. He was very much loved and appreciated by his friends and clients.”
David, 51, of Parkers Wood Close, Chorley, was found dead in his bed on August 23, 2015 – the day after he returned from a holiday to Alcudia in Spain with his new wife Sharon Edwards, 42. She inflicted a wound to his heart with a kitchen knife and was jailed for 20 years after being found guilty of his murder following a trial at Manchester Crown Court in March 2016.
Mr Justice William Davis told Mrs Edwards she had a “bullying and violent nature” which had “robbed people of a decent man”. The mum-of-four, who had a history of attacking partners, had denied intentionally stabbing the well-known solicitor just weeks after their wedding in Las Vegas, insisting he accidentally “walked onto” the blade after she took it from him.
Missed opportunities
But a post mortem examination revealed, in addition to the 8cm deep fatal wound, David had more than 60 recent and older injuries, including other stab type wounds and fractures.
Mr Edwards had already confided in colleague about domestic abuse and had a black eye on their wedding photographs. A domestic homicide review carried out in 2018 revealed that agencies missed opportunities to intervene in the lead-up to Mr Edward’s death. It found in September 2014, he attended his own GP stating his girlfriend ‘pulled his shoulder’. The GP did not make any direct enquiries about domestic violence. In July 2015 he attended A&E with a cut nose and ear. The panel considered not recording how he acquired these injuries was a “missed opportunity”.
Female on male violence
The review also highlighted the need for greater public awareness of female on male violence - something Debra has also pushed for over the past decade, as well as help for children affected by cases.
She said: “Mahalia is still very sad about her dad but she has learned to cope with her grief we talk about him all the time. We keep in touch with his family and friends. I do feel a lot more work could be done with children. Mahalia did have some counselling but probably not enough.
“I do still think there is stigma that men won't report abuse. Some friends of mine, Jack and Samantha, have set up a Facebook page called Just Talk; it was set up recently due to a lot of men committing suicide and it is open to anyone struggling and need to talk to someone.”
She added: “Sharon Mansor (previous name) took away a man from his daughter, a loving son and brother, and a much loved friend to many.”
Debra also revealed how David doesn’t have a grave, instead his ashes were scattered privately, so that Sharon does not know of his final resting place.
New funding for domestic violence programme in Lancashire
This week, Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Clive Grunshaw has welcomed additional funding from the Home Office which will be used to expand the highly successful DRIVE programme across Lancashire. The programme, which already operates in the north-west of the county, works with high risk domestic abuse offenders to stop them from re-offending and to safeguard and support victims and their children.
Since its launch in 2023 the programme has worked with more than 130 high risk domestic abuse offenders and supported 150 victims and 279 children connected to these cases. Evaluation of the programme shows significant reductions in offending across physical abuse, sexual abuse, harassment and stalking as well as jealous, coercive and controlling behaviour.
Commissioner Grunshaw said: "Abuse of any kind is wholly unacceptable and anything we can do to break the cycle of abuse is great news for Lancashire. The DRIVE programme has already been piloted across the Constabulary's West Division and we are now discussing with the Home Office how we can expand this offer to the rest of the county. "This means less offending, fewer victims and safer homes for children who may otherwise witness or suffer domestic abuse.”
Further information about the DRIVE programme can be found at drivepartnership.org.uk. Information about support services for victims of domestic abuse can be found at victimcarelancashire.org/support-directory/domestic-abuse.