Brother's Crusade for Legal Change After Sister's Tragic Suicide
The devastated brother of a woman who took her own life after being locked inside her boyfriend's flat is spearheading a campaign for urgent legal reforms. Jonathan Haggerty believes his sister, Danielle Haggerty, was effectively abandoned to die despite repeatedly voicing fears for her own safety during a distressing domestic incident.
A Fatal Sequence of Events
Danielle Haggerty was just thirty-three years old when she died in March 2023 following a series of heated arguments with her then-boyfriend, Andy Howarth. In the critical hours preceding her fatal act of self-harm, Howarth reportedly locked her inside his apartment. A concerned neighbour heard Danielle pleading through the letterbox to be released before explicitly stating she felt suicidal.
According to witness accounts provided to police, the neighbour later reported hearing Danielle 'cry out in pain' upon Howarth's return to the property. She allegedly reiterated her desire to end her life. Despite these clear distress signals, Howarth is said to have continued arguing with her. The neighbour claims to have heard Howarth say 'I'm going to kill you,' before he once again locked Danielle inside the flat and departed the scene.
Emergency Response and Tragic Outcome
Alarmed for Danielle's welfare, the neighbour contacted Greater Manchester Police. Officers attended the address in Ashton-under-Lyne, forcing entry after finding the door locked. Inside, they discovered the former hairdresser, Danielle, hanged and unconscious. Paramedics managed to restart her heart at the scene before she was rushed to Tameside Hospital for intensive care treatment.
Tragically, Danielle remained on life support for three days before being pronounced brain dead. Her brother, Jonathan, a forty-one-year-old RAF serviceman, describes the loss as utterly devastating. 'She was the best auntie to my children, and a top little sister,' he told the Daily Mail.
The Legal Loophole and Campaign for Justice
Andy Howarth was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but was later released without charge. A comprehensive file was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service, which concluded no charges should be brought. A family appeal against this decision was subsequently rejected.
This outcome has galvanised Jonathan Haggerty to launch the 'Justice for Danielle' petition, calling for the introduction of 'Danielle's Law'. This proposed legislation would create a legal duty to rescue, making it a criminal offence to abandon someone in immediate danger without seeking help, particularly in domestic settings.
'The fact this gap in the law exists where he didn't legally have any sort of duty of care, or didn't have to ring anyone to help her...that's all it could've took, one phone call, and Danielle could still be here,' Jonathan stated emphatically.
Political Support and Public Momentum
Under current UK common law, civilians are not legally obligated to intervene or call emergency services when another person's life is at risk. Jonathan's campaign aims to close this perceived loophole. His petition has already garnered over 8,000 signatures and needs 10,000 to trigger a government response.
The campaign has won the backing of Jonathan's local MP, Angela Rayner. The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne and former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party said: 'I am in contact with Jonathan and I am working with my parliamentary colleagues... to see how together we can best support the family and help to prevent future tragedies.'
A Brother's Unending Grief and Determination
Jonathan speaks of the continuous anguish caused by seeing Howarth in the local community, living 'as if nothing happened, and Danielle is dead.' This reality fuels his determination to create a lasting legacy for his sister.
'I walked away from this and thought, I want to do something about it. I don't want something like this to happen to another family,' he explained. 'Since I started the petition... I've started noticing and being in touch with more and more families with similar stories.'
He calls on the government to act decisively, particularly regarding violence against women and girls. 'The government need to put their money where their mouth is... and close loopholes like this - especially in domestic violence cases,' he urged. 'People are able to exploit it and get away with the most awful, awful things.'
Jonathan's final plea is a public one: 'Imagine you had a loved one in this situation, where they could have been saved by someone picking up the phone. I would ask - get behind this petition and sign it. It churns over in my mind constantly that there was no justice for Danielle. I want Danielle's voice to be heard and prevent this from happening to anyone else.'
