WHAT MAKES A FATHER KILL HIS FAMILY?

After a mum and two children were murdered by her violent ex-husband, we speak to Claire Th rossell (left) whose sons we r e killed by their dad

ast week, Paul L Newman made headlines for the murder of his estranged wife Geraldine and their two children, Shannon 11, and Shane, six, before killing himself.

Newman had a history of violence and had served 17 weeks in jail in 2013 for beating his wife, yet was released and categorised as “low risk” and authorities reportedly stopped monitoring him a year after his release.

Though Geraldine took him back, Newman’s violent attacks continued before she threw him out in December last year. Last week he carried out the horrific murders at the family home in Allerton Bywater, Leeds, where Newman, 42, is believed to have battered Geraldine, 51, to death with a hammer and stabbed their children, before throwing himself off a cliff in Anglesey.

Friends have slammed the authorities for not doing more to prevent the murders and say Newman was given “a licence to kill.”

Shockingly, it’s not an isolated case. There have been several high-profile murders in which men have killed their entire family. In 2011, Richard Smith stabbed his wife and two young children to death before setting the house on fire – he died of smoke inhalation. And in 2008 Christopher Foster shot his wife Jill and daughter Kirstie, 15, before committing suicide.

ACT OF REVENGE

Closer psychologist Emma Kenny says: “When men kill their whole family they often do so to prevent anyone else having the family unit they created.

“There are also cases where men murder their children in an act of revenge and leave the par t ner behind to suffer t h e agony of the loss.”

Claire Throssell u n derstands this pain onl y too well. Her bitter ex-husband Darren Sy k es set fire to the family home in January 2014, killing himself and their sons Jack, 12, and Paul, nine.

Claire, 43, from Penistone, South Yorks, repeatedly warned authorities that her ex-husband was a danger, but he was still allowed access to her boys.

Devastated Claire says: “When I heard about the Newman family murders I felt distraught. It’s brought back horrific memories. Geraldine was a victim of domestic violence and should’ve been protected, as should her children. How many more lives have to be taken before something changes?”

Claire adds: “I told the authorities Darren was bullying, controlling and abu sive to the children. But my pleas fell on deaf ears and he was still allowed access to them. Darren told me he had nothing to live for and could understand fathers killing their children. I told the authorities but they didn’t take on board the seriousness of what I was saying. Darren was allowed to see the boys and now I’ve lost them forever.”

A BULLYING SIDE

Claire was 26 when she met Sykes in 1998 at the carpet firm where they both worked and within four months they’d moved in together.

She says: “I thought he was a bit cocky, but he was romantic.”

Six years later she had Jack, followed by Paul. But Sykes showed a bullying side. She says: “He controlled everything we did and would taunt me about my weight.”

Several years later, Claire left