• Police News
  • Police Exposed
  • Police Videos
  • Police Traps

Logo

UK Police Corruption
Navigation
  • Home
  • Make a Complaint
    • Complaint Information
    • Submit A Formal Complaint
    • Alternatives to formal complaint
    • Why Complain About Police
    • How are complaints investigated
  • Expose Your Story

Police Fail to Arrest Domestic Abuse Suspects

By Exposed Police | on 11/08/2013 |
Police News
Police Fail to Arrest Domestic Abuse Suspects

Police failed to arrest thousands of domestic abuse suspects who went on to commit violent crimes, including murder, rape and assault, an Independent on Sunday investigation reveals.

Prosecutors and inner-city police forces were condemned yesterday for their “shocking” lack of action against suspects who were later arrested and charged.

The decision of 15 major UK police forces to take no further action (NFA) against almost 3,000 people arrested and charged with crimes related to domestic violence soon after police and prosecutors had investigated them for similar offences raised questions about authorities’ awareness of the “pattern of controlling and coercive behaviour” associated with domestic abuse.

The true total of missed opportunities to prevent violent crimes could be much higher, as almost 30 more police forces claimed they did not keep information on NFAs – or said that it was too expensive to collate.

The revelations follow a series of high-profile cases in which police were criticised for failing to respond sufficiently to appeals for help from women who were later killed or seriously injured by ex-partners.

They include Clare Wood, 36, who was strangled and set on fire by an ex-boyfriend despite her complaints to Greater Manchester Police. Jeanette Goodwin told Essex Police five times about her fears of a jealous ex-lover before she was stabbed in 2011. The same force was said to have taken “inadequate action” last year to arrest David Oakes before he shot his former partner, Christine Chambers, and their two-year-old daughter at their home in Braintree.

Campaigners claim the latest figures raise serious concerns over the priority given to allegations of domestic violence, and the use of the NFA categorisation by police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to resolve complaints.

Polly Neate, chief executive of the charity Women’s Aid, said abused women call the police an average of three times about domestic violence before officers take any further action against the perpetrator. She added: “If the police do not take action the first time, then the woman will either come back with subsequent reports or not bother reporting at all when it happens the next time because she does not believe that the police are going to do anything.”

The shadow Cabinet Office minister, Gareth Thomas, said: “Even with the Government’s long-term cuts, police and prosecutors need to give domestic violence far more priority than they are doing now.”

Figures from the Metropolitan Police alone reveal that, between 2006 and 2012, 866 domestic violence suspects who had been dealt with via NFA were subsequently arrested and charged for similar offences. The catalogue of 1,058 alleged crimes included one murder, seven rapes and multiple assaults, burglaries and allegations of harassment. Thames Valley Police reported that in the past eight years, 1,372 suspects who had escaped further action over allegations of domestic violence were subsequently charged for similar offences, including rape, attempted murder, arson, threats to kill and 533 counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The number of domestic violence cases resolved via NFA fell from 27,000 in 2010 to 23,500 last year, but that was still higher than the 20,475 recorded five years ago. Police are under instructions to take no further action in a case only when “it has been thoroughly investigated and there is insufficient evidence to justify charge”.

The shadow Attorney General, Emily Thornberry, said she was concerned that “opportunities were being missed to put violent partners behind bars”. She said: “The Government needs to ensure the police and CPS work together at the first opportunity to build these cases and pilot them through the criminal justice system as quickly as possible. The longer these cases take, the more likely victims are to lose heart.”

A spokeswoman for the Attorney General’s office said: “Improving prosecutions and support for victims in violence against women and girls cases is a priority for the CPS. The CPS keeps under review its performance in this area and the Attorney has regular meetings with the Director of Public Prosecutions in which they discuss issues in relation to the effective prosecution of such cases.”

The CPS said domestic violence was a priority for the organisation, which last year achieved a record conviction rate for the second year running. A spokeswoman added: “Domestic violence cases are often complex and, to bring charges against a suspect, there must be sufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction. The CPS continues to work closely with the police to further improve our approach.”

Read full story at http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/exclusive-revealed–the-violent-men-cleared-by-police-8755964.html

Tags: againstallegationsarrestedNFA

Author Description

Investigators in Police Misconduct and complaints, featuring exposed police stories and latest news. Reports on police corruption and police officers that break the law.

No Responses to “Police Fail to Arrest Domestic Abuse Suspects”

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


*
*

CAPTCHA
Refresh

*

Need Help With Police? Ask a solicitor...
Get expert legal advice from our team of solicitors. A Question is Answered Every 9 Seconds!
Ask a Solicitor
  • Top Stories
  • Latest News
  • Get Involved
  • IPCC Investigation into Devon & Cornwall Police Following Death of Man

    04/03/2013 - 11 Comments
  • Shocking News Dorset Constable Driving on Phone Kills David Bartholomew

    12/02/2013 - 5 Comments
  • Ashford Police Wearing Nazi Uniforms Leaked on Private Facebook Page

    06/02/2014 - 5 Comments
  • Senior detective pete yeates arrested after smartphones missing from police property lock-up are put up for sale on eBay

    17/10/2012 - 3 Comments
  • Fife Chief Constable Guilty of Careless Driving Causes Fatal Crash

    02/05/2013 - 3 Comments
  • PC Ian Bell Sends Inappropriate Texts to 14 Year Old Girl

    15/08/2018 - 0 Comment
  • PC Simon Lofting Found Guilty of Gross Misconduct

    05/09/2016 - 3 Comments
  • PC James Evans Jailed for Having Sex with Child Rape Victim

    04/09/2016 - 0 Comment
  • PC Ian Scouler Has Difficulty Finding Employment Since Release From Prison

    03/09/2016 - 2 Comments
  • PC Graham Wise Sacked for Posting Offencive Comments on Twitter

    03/09/2016 - 0 Comment
  • Police Chief Constable Mike Craik Involved in Sex Scandal Cover Up

    Corrupt bastards
    17/04/2019 - Bent as fuck
  • IPCC Investigation into Devon & Cornwall Police Following Death of Man

    Hi Rambo I was wondering if you could give me some more information...
    30/07/2018 - Curious
  • Shocking News Dorset Constable Driving on Phone Kills David Bartholomew

    It is really prohibited to use mobile phones while driving, this...
    08/07/2018 - Hayk S
  • IPCC Investigation into Devon & Cornwall Police Following Death of Man

    So says the man who killed his own dad!
    27/05/2018 - Alfi
  • Poole Police Officers questioned over alleged sex assault in Parkstone

    Thank you for sharing this online for everyone to read Daren
    25/01/2018 - Exposed Police

Like Us On Facebook

Facebook Pagelike Widget

Tags

2010 2012 against allegations alleged arrested CCTV chief children constable Cornwall Police corrupt Dorset Police England Essex Police Female Police GMP Greater Manchester Police Gwent Police IPCC London Merseyside Police Misconduct Mr Jones North Yorkshire Police Nottinghamshire Police officer PC PCSO Police Police Abuse Police Cameras Police Federation Police Misconduct Police Sex Abuse scotland South Yorkshire Police UK video Wales Warwickshire Police West Midlands Police West Yorkshire West Yorkshire Police woman

Our Friends

  • City of London Police Corruption
  • Cop Block
  • Corrupt Police in Hampshire
  • Police Brutality UK
  • Victims Unite

Police News Tweets Police News Tweets

  • PC Simon Lofting Found Guilty of Gross Misconduct - A COLCHESTER cop has been dismissed from Essex Police after... https://t.co/FbVS3eHCYi,
  • PC James Evans Jailed for Having Sex with Child Rape Victim - A serving Met Police officer has been jailed for ... https://t.co/gftUKpqI7z,
  • PC Ian Scouler Has Difficulty Finding Employment Since Release From Prison https://t.co/6lHW1rWF3H,
  • PC Graham Wise Sacked for Posting Offencive Comments on Twitter https://t.co/11GUbVoP45,
  • PC Andrew Hamilton Caught Stealing Kayak to Sell on eBay - hero police officer has been sacked for stealing a k... https://t.co/1np53p2peO,

Latest Police Stories

  • PC Ian Bell Sends Inappropriate Texts to 14 Year Old Girl

    15/08/2018 - 0 Comment
  • PC Simon Lofting Found Guilty of Gross Misconduct

    05/09/2016 - 3 Comments
  • PC James Evans Jailed for Having Sex with Child Rape Victim

    04/09/2016 - 0 Comment

Recent Comments

  • Bent as fuck on Police Chief Constable Mike Craik Involved in Sex Scandal Cover Up
  • Curious on IPCC Investigation into Devon & Cornwall Police Following Death of Man
  • Hayk S on Shocking News Dorset Constable Driving on Phone Kills David Bartholomew
  • Alfi on IPCC Investigation into Devon & Cornwall Police Following Death of Man
  • Exposed Police on Poole Police Officers questioned over alleged sex assault in Parkstone

Popular Search Terms

  • police brutality uk
  • rebecca swanston
  • kevin storey
  • police corruption
  • police misconduct
  • James Dunn money laundering
  • pc anthony fellows
  • kevin storey police sergeant
  • exposed police
  • pc wayne scott
  • SEMALT COM
  • police traps
  • ian scouler
  • oguz batmaz
  • pcso sacked
  • anthony fellows
  • carmel napier
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cooler Websites
  • Websites for Sale
© 2014 Exposed Police. All Rights Reserved.