Police respond to critics of domestic ‘control’ charges

Just one in six people arrested in Kent for illegally controlling someone close to them is actually charged, figures reveal.

Last year there were 328 arrests in the county related to a new offence called ‘coercive control’, but just 56 charges – although police say the force has one of the highest conviction rates in the country.

Coercive control was introduced as an offence in itself in the Serious Crime Act 2015 and relates to anyone who exerts “controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship”.

People can be charged with the offence for doing things such as restricting a partner’s freedom and access to money, or not allowing them to socialise.

Data was revealed following a Freedom of Information request to Kent Police by law firm Ridley & Hall and covered the first 18 months of the law, which came into effect on December 31, 2015.

Chief executive of the domestic violence charity Support and Action To End Domestic Abuse, Liza Thompson, said: “Coercive control takes away the voice of the victim. People who are living it tell us that they haven’t got any friends, they’re not allowed out and they have their phone smashed every five minutes.”

Nationally, in the first six months of the law, 798 people were arrested and 130 charged.

The number more than doubled to 1,709 arrests and 287 charges between January 1 and June 30 this year. Kent Police’s Det Sup Susie Harper said: “Existing legislation around controlling and coercive behaviour has improved our ability to support victims, and we have one of the highest charge and conviction rates for this offence in the country.

“One of the ways we have achieved this has been through extensive training to officers to ensure they are aware of the legislation and know how to spot the signs of someone affected.”

The fact that more than 90 people had been charged showed officers understood the law.

Det Sup Harper said: “Some very dangerous individuals are now behind bars.”