Seasonal spike in domestic violence
DOMESTIC abusers in Runcorn subjected their victims to a wave of violence resulting in injury over the Christmas weekend according to police figures.
Data obtained by the Weekly News under the Freedom Of Information Act showed Cheshire Constabulary recorded seven such assaults in three days in Runcorn from December 24-26 in the town.
This was dramatically more than the same dates in the previous five months which averaged 1.8 incidents with only one month, July, recording three attacks.
Amid the Queen’s speech, clutter of Christmas dinner and opening presents, three Runcorn residents suffered injury due to domestic assault on December 25.
There were two each on December 24 and 26.
The problem spike in domestic offences was not recorded in Widnes, ● where two domestic assaults with injury were recorded, both on Boxing Day, meaning the period was more peaceful overall than the same dates in previous months, with the July-December average equating to 2.17 assaults.
Widnes’s most violent period in the data was August 24-26, when five domestic assaults with injury were recorded.
October 24-26 was the most peaceful time covered, with zero offences in either town.
The Runcorn statistics backed concerns raised in a Cheshire police campaign launched on January 2, which urged victims to come forward.
There were 800 domestic assaults in December 2015 to January 2016 across the county.
As part of its campaign, Cheshire Constabulary provided a list of contact numbers.
Anyone worried about their behaviour can call Respect on 0808 802 4040.
Victims or residents with concerns about a family member of friend can call the 24-hour free National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 200 0247 or Halton Domestic Abuse Service on 0300 111 1247.
In an emergency dial 999, in a non-emergency situation call 101 to speak to the police. COMPOSITE ROOF