Court of Appeal moves to reaffirm “wide and flexible powers” of family court in care case – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has allowed a Guardian’s appeal against a family judge’s conclusion that she did not have jurisdiction to grant an injunction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 12th January 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Women harmed after Wiltshire police failed to disclose partners’ violent pasts – The Guardian

‘At least two women were harmed after a “catastrophic” failure in the way a police force dealt with applications under Clare’s law, which gives people the right to ask whether a partner has a violent past, it has emerged.’

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The Guardian, 11th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Domestic abuse victims to be given up to £2,500 to help them flee partners – The Independent

Posted January 10th, 2024 in domestic violence, government departments, news, victims by sally

‘Domestic abuse victims will be given up to £2,500 to help them escape their situation under a new government scheme.’

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The Independent, 9th January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Revealed: police refusing requests for background checks on violent partners – The Guardian

Posted January 8th, 2024 in disclosure, domestic violence, families, news, police, statistics, violence by tracey

‘Police in England and Wales are leaving people at risk of domestic abuse by refusing to release information on suspected violent partners, the Observer can reveal, with one force declining 95% of requests for checks.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Campaigners condemn 12-year sentence for man who killed partner in Birmingham – The Guardian

Posted January 4th, 2024 in domestic violence, homicide, news, sentencing by sally

‘The 12-year manslaughter sentence given to a man who had been violent to his partner and admitted killing her in a text message to a friend “shows how the criminal justice system fails to deliver justice for women”, campaigners have argued.’

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The Guardian, 3rd January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Alice Wood who dragged partner under car guilty of murder – BBC News

Posted January 3rd, 2024 in domestic violence, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A woman who used her car “as a weapon” to kill her fiancé after a row at a party has been convicted of murder.’

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BBC News, 2nd January 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Thousands of women at risk as police reject over 10,000 background checks on potential abusers – The Independent

Posted January 2nd, 2024 in criminal records, delay, domestic violence, news, police, statistics, vetting by tracey

‘Thousands of vulnerable women are being left at serious risk of harm because police forces are failing to hand over potentially lifesaving information on violent criminals, The Independent can reveal.’

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The Independent, 1st January 2024

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Man jailed for murdering ex-partner and dumping body near layby in Derbyshire – The Guardian

Posted December 20th, 2023 in domestic violence, imprisonment, murder, news, sentencing by sally

‘A man who murdered his ex-partner during an argument and dumped her body near a motorway layby has been jailed for life with a minimum of 17 years.’

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The Guardian, 19th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Qualified legal representatives will now get expenses but Law Soc says fees ‘still too low’ – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The Law Society has welcomed the announcement that expenses will be added to the qualified legal representative (QLR) scheme in domestic abuse cases, but says fees are still too low.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 11th December 2023

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Most victims of domestic homicide have contacted police or NHS, review shows – The Guardian

‘A review of 302 domestic homicides recorded in a four-year period has found that the majority of those killed had been “hiding in plain sight”, having made contact with the police, health services and other public agencies before their death.’

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The Guardian, 6th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘You were told’: Killed Women report shows deaths could have been prevented – The Guardian

‘Two-thirds of 115 bereaved families surveyed by Ipsos thought the fatal attack on their loved one had been very or fairly preventable.’

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The Guardian, 5th December 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Law Commission to review defences in cases of domestic homicide – Law Commission

Posted December 1st, 2023 in domestic violence, homicide, Law Commission, murder, news, statute law revision by tracey

‘The Law Commission today announces a new project that will review the use of defences in domestic homicide cases. The Law Commission has been asked to do this work by the Government in their response to Clare Wade KC’s Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review.’

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Law Commission, 29th November 2023

Source: lawcom.gov.uk

Killamarsh: Women and children still at risk after murders, coroner says – BBC News

Posted November 30th, 2023 in child abuse, coroners, domestic violence, murder, news, probation by sally

‘A coroner has warned “insufficient” checks by the probation service continue to put women and children at risk after a quadruple murder.’

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BBC News, 29th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Intentional Non-Fatal Strangulation: Quick Sentence Guide – 3PB

Posted November 23rd, 2023 in assault, domestic violence, news, sentencing by sally

‘The political and evidential background underpinning the implementation of the offence of Intentional Non-Fatal Strangulation (INFS) will be well known to anyone who habitually works in the Criminal Justice System.’

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3PB, 11th October 2023

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Non-fatal strangulation: origins, injuries, and challenges – 3PB

Posted November 23rd, 2023 in assault, domestic violence, news, personal injuries by sally

‘The act of strangling or suffocating as part of an assault has long formed the part of allegations involving other offences such as battery and assaults resulting in actual harm (ABH) or serious harm. However as of 7th June 2022 section 70 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 has produced section 75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015, creating an offence of non-fatal strangulation or non-fatal suffocation. This article is focussed more on the former. It is becoming more
commonplace both to see this offence charged and to advise on whether it should be charged. There has also been recent case law in the Court of Appeal concerning sentencing in these cases and Jonathan Underhill has written an article about this which goes hand in hand with this piece.’

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3PB, 20th October 2023

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Domestic abuse: Stalker to be released despite being ruled unsafe – BBC News

Posted November 23rd, 2023 in coercive & controlling behaviour, domestic violence, news, parole, stalking by sally

‘A stalker who held his ex-girlfriend at gunpoint will be released from prison in February despite a parole board panel finding he was not safe to live in the community.’

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BBC News, 22nd November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Sentencing non-fatal strangulation and suffocation – R v Cook and recent updates from the Court of Appeal – Park Square Barristers

‘Introduced as part of the Government’s Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2021 and enshrined in law by s75A of the Serious Crime Act 2015, the offences of non-fatal suffocation and strangulation are increasingly being charged alongside other more common offences against the person as well as offences such as controlling and coercive behaviour.’

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Park Square Barristers, 10th October 2023

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Domestic abuse: Dyfed-Powys Police failed victims, report finds – BBC News

Posted November 20th, 2023 in domestic violence, news, police, victims, Wales by tracey

‘Rapes, assaults and threats to kill – including a woman threatened with a blowtorch – were wrongly classed as “standard risk” by Dyfed-Powys Police, a report has found.’

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BBC News, 19th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Victims to be protected through Sentencing Reforms – Ministry of Defence

‘Cowardly domestic abusers will continue to face time behind bars under legislation laid in Parliament today which will also see the most horrific murderers face life behind bars and rapists locked up for longer.’

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Ministry of Defence, 14th November 2023

Source: www.gov.uk

Domestic-abuse victims fear deportation if they go to police – BBC News

‘Every police force in England and Wales has reported migrants who are domestic-abuse victims to Immigration Enforcement, new data suggests.’

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BBC News, 9th November 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk