‘More to do’ to protect women

CRIME: There is “more” to do when it comes to improving safety for women on Britain’s streets, according to a senior Cabinet Minister has said.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that while new measures are being introduced, it was appalling that women still suffered fear, intimidation and threats.

THERE IS “more” to do when it comes to improving safety for women on Britain’s streets, according to a senior Cabinet Minister has said.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said that while new measures are being introduced, it was appalling that women still suffered fear, intimidation and threats. He spoke as a government adviser described the ongoing political debate over violence against women following the death of Sarah Everard, who is originally from York, as a “watershed moment”.

Mr Raab said: “I think it is appalling that women still suffer the fear, the intimidation, the threats – and I say that as a son, a husband and a brother of a sister.

“And that’s why we are increasing the number of police by 20,000, we’ve heard new measures to make the streets safer with CCTV and lighting overnight, we’ve got two bits of legislation going through the House of Commons to increase the sentencing.

I was a Justice Minister twice – I’ve been looking at those issues, I worked on the regional increase in stalking sentences. But clearly we’ve got to do more.”

Downing Street said it was taking a series of “immediate steps” to improve security, including the rollout across the country of pilots of a programme where uniformed and plain clothes officers seek to actively identify predatory and suspicious offenders in the night-time economy.

Dubbed ‘Project Vigilant’, the programme can involve officers attending areas around clubs and bars undercover, along with increased police patrols as people leave at closing time.

A police officer is due to go on trial in the autumn for the kidnap and murder of Sarah Everard. Pc Wayne Couzens, 48, is accused of snatching her as she walked home from a friend’s flat in Clapham, south London, on the evening of March 3. Yesterday the Metropolitan Police officer made his first appearance at the Old Bailey by video link from prison.

Meanwhile the chief constable of the largest police force outside London called on legislators to carry out a rapid review of Covid-19 public gathering rules, following the Met’s handling of the vigil in memory of Ms Everard.

The event was cancelled after police said it would be in breach of coronavirus rules. However, crowds still gathered to remember the the 33-year-old marketing executive.

While the protest was largely peaceful, it was marred by scuffles, with police accused of heavyhandedness after some women were bundled to the ground and handcuffed.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill includes plans to give police more powers to tackle non-violent protests which cause significant disruption to the public, passed its second reading last night.

I think it is appalling that women still suffer the fear, the intimidation. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab speaking in the aftermath of Sarah Everard’s death.