Commissioner welcomes longer sentences for controlling abusers

It is welcome news that those with a history of controlling or coercive behaviour who go on to commit murder will receive more significant sentences.

Around one in four homicides in England and Wales are committed by a current or former partner or relative, according to Ministry of Justice data, and Clare Wade KC – who carried out this crucial review into domestic homicide sentencing – found that more than half of the murder cases she reviewed included controlling or coercive behaviour.

Domestic abuse is rarely a single incident, but rather a long-standing pattern that very often includes this type of criminal behaviour.

However, the Government has not yet chosen to enshrine in law a mitigating factor in cases when victims kill their abusers, and I fear this could make matters worse for women who kill after suffering violent relationships.

If a female victim of abuse uses a weapon to kill a partner, she can be jailed for longer than men who use strength alone to murder. I would like to see that guideline for such cases removed in the future.

Dominic Raab says he is sympathetic to this argument and I hope that we will soon see that change in legislation.

To anyone in Surrey who is a victim of controlling or coercive behaviour, I’d urge you to speak to Surrey Police. Our officers will always take any complaint of this nature with the utmost seriousness.