Anti-stalking campaigners have launched a super-complaint against the police claiming officers are failing to identify offenders, properly investigate crimes or protect victims.
A group of 21 expert individuals and organisations called the National Stalking Consortium say there are systemic issues in how stalking is dealt with, with only five per cent of cases in England and Wales ending with a charge. Suky Bhaker, CEO of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust that set up the consortium, said a significant number of stalking victims are being let down by the police.
The super-complaint, a measure used to highlight wider problems or trends in policing, is being brought 10 years on from a change to the law that made stalking a specific offence. Bhaker 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.