Investigation launched after claims Molly Ticehurst’s house wasn’t ‘intruder-proofed’ as promised
An investigation into the interactions between Molly Ticehurst and New South Wales government agencies and programs has been launched after it was revealed that the young mother was promised security upgrades to her home two weeks before she was allegedly murdered.
The NSW Cabinet Office investigation was launched after Guardian Australia revealed the Forbes mother was promised help to “intruder-proof” her home as part of the Staying Home Leaving Violence (SHLV) scheme a fortnight before her death.
Ticehurst’s parents, Tony and Kate, say their 28-year-old daughter was “failed” by the system and the people who promised to install lights, cameras and tough window screens at her home after she reported her ex-boyfriend to police.
Asked during question time in state parliament on Thursday about the alleged failings, the prevention of domestic violence minister, Jodie Harrison, said the case was being investigated by the state’s cabinet office.
“Obviously, something has gone wrong here,” she told parliament.
“The cabinet office has been tasked to undertake a review of all of the interactions Molly Ticehurst had with the NSW government agencies and domestic violence services in the lead up to her death.”
The housing minister, Rose Jackson, also told the parliament that any changes that needed to be made as a result of the apparent failing would be.
“That work to follow up those reports has already begun,” she said.
“If, as has been reported, important programs like Staying Home Leaving Violence, which we do support … if there is a problem or an issue with its delivery on the ground by an NGO partner, we absolutely need to look into that.”
Jackson promised to make public the findings of the investigation that would happen alongside the police and coronial probes already under way.
Ticehurst’s grieving parents have called for funding to be cut to the local service provider, Housing Plus, that their daughter believed was going to help her.
“If they had done something, she could have been still here,” Kate said.
Tony said the government and the provider had “failed” his daughter.
“They just sucked the guts straight out of her,” he said.
“She was all happy that they were going to help her and then nothing … False hope, they gave her.”
Ticehurst reported alleged abuse to police on 5 April. Her former partner was then charged with violent offences against her, including rape and intimidation. He was issued with an apprehended violence order and then granted bail by a court registrar.
Ticehurst had been fearful of going to police but was reassured repeatedly that she would be helped, her parents said.
She told her parents she had been contacted by a caseworker from Housing Plus, a not-for-profit company that provides housing and domestic violence services across NSW, on 8 April and then again on 12 April with assurances of an impending security upgrade.
Tony said his daughter told him they promised to install barriers on her windows, automatic lights and surveillance cameras.
Fourteen days after the first call and with nothing installed to make her safer, Molly was found dead in her home after a welfare check. Her ex-boyfriend was charged with her murder and is awaiting trial.
A Housing Plus spokesperson said: “We are currently conducting an investigation into the interactions of Ms Ticehurst with our services.”
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
