Tory MP launches push to protect stalking victims with tougher police powers

Exclusive: Sarah Wollaston wants to tackle gaps in stalking laws that can leave victims vulnerable to abuse while police build a case against the suspected perpetrator

One in five women and one in 10 men will be affected by stalking in their lifetime (Rex)

Tougher powers to curb stalking and harassment that blight the lives of thousands of people will be brought forward under new legislation from a Conservative MP.

Respected backbencher Sarah Wollaston, who chairs the Commons Health Committee, wants to tackle gaps in stalking laws that can leave victims vulnerable to abuse while police build a case against the suspected perpetrator.

Stalking is a difficult crime to prosecute – despite being made a specific criminal offence in 2012 – as the term is not legally defined, leaving space for differences in interpretation over persistent calls, unwanted gifts or unexpected visits.

Victims are often let down by under-recording, inconsistent services and poor understanding in the criminal justice system, with “worrying failing at every stage”, according to a recent report by the police and prosecution service watchdogs.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd announced plans for civil protection orders in December last year but no date has been set for their implementation, prompting fears the idea had been dropped.

Under the new proposals – which are understood to have government backing – police would apply for a stalking protection order through a magistrate, which would restrict tormentors from contacting or approaching their victims while police gather evidence.

Perpetrators could also be ordered to seek mental health treatment or attend rehabilitation during this time to stop them from reoffending. Breaches of the order would carry a prison sentence of up to five years.

Ms Wollaston told The Independent: “Almost anyone can become a victim of stalking. It is a crime which devastates people’s lives causing both psychological and sometimes physical harm, including murder.

“In a digital age there are ever more ways that stalkers target their victims and those around them, causing fear and isolation.

“There is currently a gap in the law, especially for those stalked by strangers and my bill aims to introduce a new stalking protection order to protect victims at the early stages of an investigation.”

The Totnes MP warned that the current system was “wholly inadequate”, where victims have to go through a much lengthier process of applying for an injunction through the courts.

The measure is aimed at people suffering domestic abuse or being stalked by an ex-partner, leaving little help for people who are harassed by strangers.

Vulnerable people would be saved from having to apply for such an order themselves under Ms Wollaston’s Stalking Protection Bill, where police would act on their behalf.

One in five women and one in 10 men will experience stalking during their lifetime, while the National Stalking Helpline has responded to some 14,000 calls since it was established in 2010.

Suky Bhaker, head of policy and development at the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which runs the helpline, welcomed the proposals to address gaps in protection for victims. She said: “Stalking is a pervasive crime which affects over 1.1 million people in the UK each year. The crime has a severe impact on victims, and through our work with clients on the National Stalking Helpline, we often hear that it has caused physical, emotional and psychological trauma to those affected.

“We know that rapid recognition, response, and early intervention to stalking can help by trying to break the cycle of obsession and fixation inherent within perpetrators. We envisage Stalking Protection Orders giving police officers the tools to support victims safely by taking decisive action to restrict perpetrators’ behaviour early on.

“We need to ensure that victims are always taken seriously when they report stalking, and that police have the right tools to tackle this insidious crime.”

Jessica, 34, has struggled to cope after being stalked by a neighbour, who repeatedly followed her and her partner for more than five years. The mother of two, whose name has been changed, said she suffered from depression and panic attacks, and she was forced to take time off work as she was too frightened to leave her house because of her tormentor.

Measures to protect her such as a restraining order and a warning notice to the individual have proved “pointless”, she said.

She told The Independent: “Because it has been left so long, it's like somebody who is addicted to drugs and alcohol - when they have been on it for so long, it is not going to stop straight away, and it's not to say that it will stop. Whereas if they do something about it at the earlier stage then there is more chance of it stopping."

More police officers need to be trained to understand and recognise stalking, she said, claiming officers told her case would "laughed out of court".

Home Office minister Victoria Atkins said: “Stalking is a terrible form of abuse that can have devastating effect on its victims, which is why this Government is working to protect victims and stop perpetrators at the earliest opportunity. We have strengthened the law introducing new stalking offences and are taking steps to introduce a new stalking protection order to protect victims at the earliest possible stage.”

Ms Wollaston’s bill will go before Parliament on 19 January, where it needs the support of 100 MPs to move forward.

Private members’ bills rarely become law due to a lack of parliamentary time but government support significantly enhances its chances of getting onto the statute books.