Warwickshire sees increase in successful domestic violence prosecutions

There was also an eight per cent increase in the overall conviction rate for domestic violence cases in the Warwickshire from 77 per cent in 2006/2007 to 85 per cent in 2007/2008.

David Robinson, Chief Crown Prosecutor for Warwickshire CPS said: "We regard domestic violence as particularly serious. People have a right to feel safe and be safe in their personal relationships. I am very pleased with the increase in cases being reported to the police and being prosecuted through to conviction by the CPS. This suggests that more victims have confidence that the criminal justice system will handle such cases effectively and that victims of such crimes are being supported throughout the process. We encourage those who are victims of any form of domestic abuse to report this to the police as soon as possible and not to suffer in silence. There are trained officers, prosecutors and volunteer staff to assist you every step of the prosecution process".

The CPS is one of over 30 public services, charities and organisations who are working together as Warwickshire Against Domestic Abuse to raise awareness of domestic abuse and encourage those affected to seek help, including perpetrators. This Christmas a campaign has been launched to encourage perpetrators of domestic abuse to do something to change their behaviour.

"The CPS and Warwickshire Police have also established Witness Care Units in the county who work very closely with the volunteer sector, Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVA) and the specialist domestic violence courts to guarantee that all victims of domestic violence automatically access greater care to ensure that the stress of attending court is kept to a minimum. If the victim requires special safety or treatment in the courtroom, the giving of evidence from behind screens. Likewise, if they have children and attending court is difficult, the Units can arrange a registered childminder.

DS 580 Simon Timerick of Warwickshire Police said "The implementation of the specialist domestic abuse courts is proving very successful in further protecting victims and increasing the confidence that the public of Warwickshire have in reporting abuse and having it dealt with successfully.

"Domestic abuse has traditionally been a subject that people find difficult to report and did not feel it would be dealt with appropriately. The steps taken by all of the combined agencies are breaking that taboo down. There are many agencies involved in helping people to escape the cycle of abuse and one of the key areas is in appropriate and informed prosecution. The SDVC have domestic abuse training and awareness so are aware of the issues surrounding abusive relationships and offer invaluable support to victims throughout a prosecution and we are seeing that the actions of the courts are having a major impact on victim confidence enabling the public of Warwickshire to be better protected from abuse."

More information on the services available to victims, their friends and family, young people and abusers can be found by visiting www.talk2someone.org.uk or by calling the Warwickshire Against Domestic Abuse helpline on 0800 408 1552.

Additional information:

In 2006/2007 20 cases were finalised in the Crown Court of which 17 (85 per cent) were successfully prosecuted. In 2007/2008 26 cases were finalised in the Crown Court of which 25 (96 per cent) were successful prosecutions.

In 2006/2007 225 cases were finalised in the Magistrates' court of which 171 (76 per cent) were successful prosecutions. In 2007/2008 393 case were finalised in the Magistrates' court of which 330 (84 per cent) were successful prosecution.

The decision on whether or not to prosecute any case is governed by the principles set out in The Code for Crown Prosecutors. Each case must pass two tests: The Evidential Test and the Public Interest Test. The Code is available to view on: www.cps.gov.uk

The Crown Prosecution Service is the Government department responsible for prosecuting criminal cases investigated by the police in England and Wales. It is responsible for: advising the police on cases for possible prosecution; reviewing cases submitted by the police; determining any charges in all but minor cases; preparing cases for court and; presenting cases at court.

The CPS consists of 42 Areas, each headed by a Chief Crown Prosecutor (CCP). A telephone service, CPS Direct, provides out-of-hours advice and decisions to police officers across England and Wales.

For further information or interview requests, please contact Vinny Bolina, CPS Midlands Group Communications Manager on 0121 262 1531 or 07753 895 240. For an interview with DS Simon Timerick, please contact the Newsdesk on 01926 415065.