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Emily Maitlis
Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, who was stalked by the same man for more than 25 years. Photograph: David Hartley/Rex/Shutterstock
Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, who was stalked by the same man for more than 25 years. Photograph: David Hartley/Rex/Shutterstock

New measures to beat stalking could put victims at risk

This article is more than 4 years old
Prevention orders could prompt an increase in murders, campaigners say

New Home Office measures to tackle the growing crime of stalking risk becoming a “retrograde” step that campaigners warn could prompt an increase in murders.

The stalking protection orders, unveiled today, aim to block perpetrators from approaching their victims and allow courts in England and Wales to move quicker to ban stalkers from contacting or visiting victims.

However, some experts voiced concern that the powers could be used as an alternative to prosecutions, placing victims at greater risk.

Rachel Horman, chair of Paladin, a national stalking advocacy service, said: “This would be a retrograde step and could lead to an increase in homicides.”

Horman, also a solicitor specialising in stalking and coercive control cases, added: “The only way to keep a stalking victim safe in my view is to ensure that the perpetrator is in custody. Stalking is about obsession and fixation so nothing less than custody will keep victims safe.”

Prosecution rates for stalking offences are falling despite the number of recorded cases rising significantly. In 2014-15 there were 2,882 recorded offences according to the Home Office, a figure that climbed to 10,214 three years later. Yet only a quarter of the 6,702 cases in which a charge could be brought led to one, compared with 2014-15 when almost half of reported crimes resulted in further action.

However, the proportion of the population likely to have experienced stalking is far greater. According to the Crime Survey for England and Wales, almost one in five women over the age of 16 have experienced stalking, along with almost one in 10 men.

A court heard last week that BBC Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis was left “scared and let down” after a man who stalked her for more than 25 years was able to continue harassing her despite being in prison.

Edward Vines, 49, who is serving a second jail sentence for continuing to contact Maitlis and her family, attempted to breach a restraining order by sending her a letter. Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live in 2018, Maitlis said the stalking had had a devastating impact on her family. “You turn into this person who shouts at your kids for the wrong thing,” she said. “It just makes you jumpy – and that’s stressful and it’s tiring and it’s time-consuming.”

The new stalking protection orders will come into effect immediately. In addition to banning perpetrators from approaching or contacting their victims, the orders can also force stalkers to seek professional help.

The orders will normally last for a minimum of two years, with a breach counting as a criminal offence that can result in up to five years in prison.

The move was described by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust as an “important step” in tackling stalking.

Suky Bhaker, acting chief executive of the trust, said: “We hope to see the new order complement the existing legislation to ensure that victims receive a proactive response when they come forward and report stalking.”

Clive Ruggles, of the Alice Ruggles Trust, added that the orders could have protected his daughter who was murdered by an obsessive ex-boyfriend. “The existence of SPOs could have made a critical difference in Alice’s case, and will help improve the outcome for many others in the future,” he said.

However, Ruggles added: “It is critical that there is no delay in arresting perpetrators who breach them: any other response may well escalate the risk to the victim.”

But Horman, who has sat on two parliamentary groups for stalking, saidthe Home Office had not learned the lessons of its domestic violence protection orders, which she said had evolved as an alternative to prosecution.

“It is vital that stalking protection orders are used in addition to criminal charges. An order does not give the perpetrator a criminal record, which is important in helping to protect victims.”

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