Finding into death of Catherine Louise Haley
Deceased
Catherine Louise Haley
Demographics
29y, female
Date of death
2018-03-09
Finding date
2018
Cause of death
Blunt force injuries to the head
AI-generated summary
Catherine Louise Haley, a 29-year-old woman, was fatally assaulted by her de facto partner Shane Robertson on 9 March 2018. Robertson displayed escalating controlling and possessive behaviour including obsessive phone monitoring, surveillance of Ms Haley's social media accounts, and accusations of infidelity. On the evening of her death, following an argument where Ms Haley stated the relationship was over, Robertson struck her multiple times with a weighted dumbbell bar to her head and face, causing severe blunt force injuries. The coroner noted this death occurred in the context of family violence and highlighted the difficulty third parties face in intervening. The case underscores the importance of recognising controlling and surveillance behaviours as warning signs of escalating intimate partner violence, and the need for accessible information resources and support pathways for those concerned about family violence.
AI-generated summary and tagging — may contain inaccuracies; refer to original finding for legal purposes.
Specialties
Contributing factors
- Intimate partner violence and controlling behaviour by Shane Robertson
- Escalating jealousy, possessiveness and surveillance of the victim
- Argument regarding relationship separation
- Use of a weighted dumbbell bar as a weapon
- Lack of service contact or intervention prior to fatal incident
Coroner's recommendations
- Support and implementation of 'The Lookout' website to provide accessible information to those experiencing, witnessing or affected by family violence
- Continued rollout and development of Orange Doors (Support and Safety Hubs) across Victoria to provide central entry points for family violence response and support
- Provision of resources for third parties to recognise family violence and know how to seek help for both crisis intervention and longer-term recovery
Full text
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