Tories set to vote against landmark domestic abuse legislation

15 April 2021, 18:54 | Updated: 19 April 2021, 13:44

Shelagh Fogarty was left shocked as it was revealed the Conservative Government is set to vote against a landmark register for serial domestic abusers introduced in the wake of Sarah Everard's death.

A U-turn on plans to introduce a national register for serial perpetrators of domestic abuse and stalking will leave a “gaping hole” in women’s safety, the government has been warned.

An amendment to the domestic abuse bill to create a serial domestic abuse register passed in the House of Lords last month following the tragic death of Sarah Everard.

However, MP Yvette Cooper told Women's Correspondent for the Independent Maya Oppenheim she understands the Government is set to vote against this register, and other House of Lords amendments, on Thursday.

Ms Cooper had previously suggested an amendment to the bill that would label a new category of offender that would include "high risk" perpetrators of domestic abuse and stalking, who repeatedly offend.

Ms Oppenheim, who revealed the story told Shelagh: "Well, the data speaks for itself really.

"Often when a woman is killed by their partner, whether that's their former partner or their current partner in cases of domestic abuse, it emerges that he was a serial perpetuator and he's abused many women before her.

"There's been a pattern and nobody has stepped in. Nobody is joining the dots and these institutions are just existing in a vacuum without talking to each other.

"And there's nothing really in place in the criminal justice system which stops these serial convicted stalkers and domestic abusers moving from one victim to the next and their abuse effectively escalating."

Shelagh said: "It does seem extraordinary that we still find ourselves in a world...with victims of stalking, for example, being charged with wasting police time only to subsequently be murdered."

Home Secretary Priti Patel has suggested the Government would relook at creating a national serial perpetrators register earlier in the day before the vote passed in the House of Lords.

She told MPs: “There is something about perpetrators and their serial offending that has to be addressed. There is no question about that at all… I will be very candid: we will look at all measures.”