Wigan stalking cases are up nine fold... but most do not end up in court

Up to five stalking and harassment cases were reported every day in Wigan last year, shock figures reveal.
StalkingStalking
Stalking

Over the last five years, the number of recorded stalking and harassment cases in town has increased NINEFOLD but very few are ever brought to court.

Office for National Statistics data shows that 1,789 cases of stalking, harassment or malicious communications were reported between October 2017 and September 2018.

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Of the three crimes included in the figures stalking is the most serious, and can include following someone repeatedly going uninvited to their home and monitoring their use of phones and computers.

The Home Office says police recording has improved and victims are feeling more empowered to come forward.

However, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services, the police watchdog, (HMICFRS) recently published a report stating that stalking and harassment are not being investigated by police consistently or effectively.

It says there is no single definition of the crime, which means “police forces are not consistently identifying stalking and are not protecting victims as a result”.

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HMICFRS adds that forces are not using powers under stalking laws to search perpetrators’ homes so investigations are “not as thorough as they could be”.

The watchdog has given the National Police Chiefs’ Council six months to adopt a series of recommendations.

Lucy Hadley, campaigns and public affairs manager at Women’s Aid, said: “It is concerning that police forces are continuing to fall short when it comes to effectively handling stalking and harassment cases and giving the appropriate level of support that survivors desperately need.

“It can be a matter of life or death that the police give the right response in stalking cases.”

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She urged police leaders to invest in domestic abuse and stalking training.

Greater Manchester Police only brought charges in seven per cent of the stalking and harassment cases they investigated.

Overall, the force recorded 22,000 cases over the 12-month period. Of those, there were 276 stalking offences.

The most common crime reported was malicious communications. Women’s Aid has been working with the police on the Make Yourself Heard campaign, on how to safely dial 999 when it is too dangerous to speak.

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Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd, from the NPCC, said: “The police service receives 12 million 999 calls each year and a small, but important number need to use the ‘silent solution’.

“Messages guide you throughout the process and used properly, it is simple, straightforward and helps us to help you.”

Police say a silent emergency call on its own will not bring assistance, however a victim can alert the call handler by coughing, tapping keys or pressing 55.