UPDATE: |Five sent to prison as GMP use new police powers News

Five men have been sent to prison as a result

Greater Manchester Police have used new powers aimed at protecting victims of domestic abuse 119 times over the last four months.

The Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) are being trialled in Greater Manchester having started in Bury last November. The new type of order which prohibits contact between victims and their abusers has now been rolled out in Wigan and Manchester too.

So far, 119 DAPOs have been issued across the three boroughs with 45 breaches identified, resulting in five men being sent to prison.

It comes as the Manchester Evening News campaigns for change in memory of a woman the criminal justice system failed to protect.

Caroline Gore, 44, was brutally stabbed to death by her abusive ex-partner at her flat in Wigan in October 2023, less than four weeks after he was spared jail for yet another breach of his restraining order.

The M.E.N. is calling for a mandatory minimum prison sentence for perpetrators who breach protective orders like the one David Liptrot repeatedly ignored and was allowed to get away with.

Support our campaign here.

Our petition, which has been signed by more than 75,000 people and has been raised in Parliament, also calls for proper monitoring of people with protective orders including through electronic tagging.

This is now an option under the new DAPO regime which, unlike restraining orders, allows courts to impose positive requirements too.

Back in February, Christopher Cullen, 36, from Bury was among the first to be issued a DAPO which involved electronic monitoring.

His case is one of 119 in which GMP have managed to secure a DAPO during the first four months of the pilot as one of the three participating forces.

The orders can be made by a court during criminal, family, or civil proceedings with the police, the victims themselves or a third party able to apply for them.

Not only do DAPOs allow the police to intervene without the victim’s support, they require regular checks by officers who make sure the orders are being adhered to.

By the end of March, 45 breaches had been identified, most of which were related to offenders failing to register as required.

However, five men who breached their order by contacting the victim have been jailed with prison sentences ranging from 14 weeks to four years.

The government says it wants the DAPOs to become the new ‘go-to’ order for domestic abuse cases, replacing Domestic Violence Protection Orders which can only be enforced for a maximum of 28 days while there is no time limit on the new type of order.

Report and support information

All victims of domestic abuse are encouraged to come forward to the police by calling 999 in an emergency or 101.

Those who would prefer not to speak about their experience over the phone, or are not in a position to in that moment, can use the Live Chat service on GMP’s website.

Support is also available through the Greater Manchester domestic abuse helpline which is available from Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm, except bank holidays.

This helpline is available for anyone experiencing domestic abuse and includes a language service and advice for the LGBT community.

For more information about help available in different areas across Greater Manchester visit the End the Fear website.