A mum who was allowed home by police after admitting assaulting her husband went on to kill their two children just hours later, a coroner has heard.

Veronique John, from Stoke-on-Trent, was handed an indefinite hospital order last year following the fatal attacks on daughter Elizabeth, seven, and son Ethan, 11, at their Stoke home in June 2023.

An inquest into the children's deaths is being held at Stoke Civic Centre this week.

On Tuesday (July 29) coroner Emma Serrano began hearing evidence from a Staffordshire Police officer who had attended the family home the day before the children's deaths, as well as details of a review carried out into how the tragic case was dealt with by the force.

The investigation found the service level given by Staffordshire Police to be "inadequate", the inquest heard. The children's father, Nathan John, had raised concerns that weekend his wife would "use the children against him".

Police were first called to the family home in Flax Street on Friday, July 9 after Mrs John dialled 999. When PC Megan Maddox arrived Mr John had left the house, but the two children were upstairs and she deemed the case to be "medium risk".

PC John Harrison, who was involved in the case review, told the inquest: "In respect of the John family, this was their first interaction with Staffordshire Police. I believe (the children) overheard verbal arguing; both children were in bed upstairs and didn't see any violence."

Police received another 999 call, this time from Mr John, who reported he had been hit by his wife. He was visited by officers at his workplace the following day, June 10, where he was seen to have a swollen forearm and a lump on his forehead.

Officers were told she had assaulted him with a piece of wood and she had threatened to stab him in his sleep. Mrs John was arrested at home later that day and taken into custody for questioning, where she admitted she had slapped her husband, but denied making any threats to kill.

Sergeant Steven Marriott, who was responsible for booking in at the northern area custody facility that evening, said Mrs John confirmed she was taking medication for depression.

The facility's mental health team were not present at the time, as they operated until 8pm and had left for the day, but a healthcare professional was available to assess Mrs John if it was considered necessary.

Sergeant Marriott told the inquest: "There was nothing that made me feel she needed to see a healthcare professional at the time. I did not believe there was any reason to delay the interview with Mrs John."

PC Maddox said Mrs John "seemed quite apologetic" about the assault. It was suggested that the incident be dealt with through a community resolution notice as it was the first time Mrs John had been involved with police.

She was able to return home in the early hours of Sunday, July 11. Mr John went to another address and his wife was left at home with the children, but that afternoon Mr John reported to police that he had been stabbed.

PC Harrison said: "Officers initially went to the home address and that's where officers found both of the children. Veronique John contacted police, stating she was at her home and had killed the children."

Paramedics attended the home address but were unable to save the children. They were pronounced dead just after 2.30pm.

The inquest heard that if a domestic violence protection notice had been issued instead of the community resolution notice, Mrs John would have been prevented from returning to her home address for 48 hours.

PC Maddox told the inquest: "While I was speaking to Mr John on the Saturday evening I asked if the children were safe at home with mum and he said yes; I believed there was no physical threat to the children.

"He had somewhere else to go and we didn't believe that she did. She was the main carer for the children while he worked and I thought the physical risk was focussed on Mr John, not the children."

PC Harrison said: "This was a highly unusual outcome. Officers will see a high number of domestic abuse cases, but case like these are extremely rare."

The inquest continues.