Police failures to stop stalkers leads to ‘super complaint’
POLICE have been accused of failing to protect women from stalkers in a “supercomplaint” by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
The charity – set up after the disappearance and murder of estate agent Lamplugh in west London, in 1986 – said police forces were putting victims at risk because of “systemic” failures to identify, investigate and prosecute stalkers.
Only 5 per cent of reports of stalking to police in the year ending March 2022 resulted in a charge by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Police dropped their investigation in 30,000 cases, a quarter of the total, because of “evidential difficulties”, even though the victim supported action against the perpetrator.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, founded 36 years ago, is one of 16 organisations that can lodge super-complaints, which mean police watchdogs must now consider whether to launch a national inquiry into the allegations.
Suky Bhaker, chief executive of the trust, said: “We support thousands of victims every year across our national stalking service and a significant number of them tell us that they are being let down by the police and the courts at every step of their journey to justice.
“Failure to identify and investigate stalking at the earliest possible opportunity results in an increasing risk of physical and psychological harm to the victim.
“We hope that the outcome of this super-complaint will result in robust recommendations to improve the police response to stalking across the country which is so vitally needed.”
Claire Waxman, Victims Commissioner for London, said: “Too many stalking victims are being let down by the police and wider justice system – with stalking behaviours being ignored or minimised, and breaches of restraining orders not taken seriously enough.”
Dept Chief Constable Paul Mills, National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for stalking, said that police recognised there was “more to do to improve” outcomes for victims and they were working closely with the CPS to do so.