Survivors of stalking, campaigners for women’s safety and heads of law enforcement have raised concerns over continuing failings by police in England and Wales to tackle perpetrators and protect victims.
They warn that while some forces are doing innovative work on stalking, others are not improving quickly enough, leading to a “patchwork” service and victims facing a “postcode lottery”.
The concerns come as courts deal with two high-profile stalking cases.
This week a 71-year-old man from Berkshire, Phil Appleton, was ordered not to contact the actor Anna Friel or go to the area where she lives after admitting to stalking her.
Next week a 39-year-old man from West Sussex, Rob Keating, will be sentenced for stalking after threatening to kidnap an American travel influencer and travelling to her home in Bali with rope in his suitcase.
In September 2024, after an investigation led by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, 15 recommendations over stalking were made to heads of police.
Almost a year on, a report by the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) highlights good practice by some forces, such as “stalking clinics” established by West Midlands police in which officers can seek advice and guidance about stalking investigations, and sessions run by Sussex police in which potential victims can have their phone “swept” for malicious applications or malware used by stalkers.
But the report also reveals a string of problems and concludes that victims receive a different level of support depending on what part of England and Wales they live in.
Rhianon Bragg, who was stalked and held hostage at gunpoint by her ex-partner Gareth Wyn Jones, said there were “massive and unacceptable gaps”.
She said: “Tackling stalking needs to be invested in, targeted, by the government, by police and crime commissioners and by the chief constables.
“If you’d experienced what I have as a victim of near-fatal stalking – super-high anxiety, psychological trauma, deep and long-lasting damage caused to my family and me by a stalker – then you would feel passionate about these recommendations being fully implemented by all police forces, supported by government.”
The NPCC report concludes that some forces’ record management systems still do not allow them to effectively note cases of stalking when a more serious crime such as rape or murder has also been committed. In some instances, interim solutions have been developed but not all forces have taken them up.
The report says there has been “progress” in training on stalking but “gaps” still exist. According to the latest figures available, 89,000 of the 149,000 officers in England and Wales have completed the College of Policing e-learning packages on stalking.
Some forces have incorporated stalking training into existing domestic abuse training, despite the National Stalking Helpline recording almost half of its callers as being targeted by someone who was not a current or ex-partner.
Several forces have admitted to a lack of work on understanding demographic or cultural factors at play that could lead to an increased risk of stalking in certain areas.
The report says dedicated coordinator roles are being carried out by officers and staff in addition to their day-to-day roles and highlights that police are struggling to “keep pace with new criminal applications of technology”.
Suky Bhaker, the CEO of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which made the super-complaint that led to the IOPC-led investigation, said: “While we appreciate the strain on police budgets, we are concerned that the allocation of existing resources continues to deprioritise stalking, despite the NPCC’s own strategic risk assessment stating that stalking and harassment accounts for 43% of all violence against women and girls recorded by police.”
In its response to the NPCC report, the trust added: “From crime-recording data and training delivery to risk assessments and problem profiles, major inconsistencies across forces will only deepen the existing patchwork of service provision for stalking victims across England and Wales.”
Paladin National Stalking Advocacy Service, which assists high-risk victims of stalking, said there had been positive steps from some forces and it had received requests for help in training.
But a spokesperson for the charity said: “The response for stalking victims is still a postcode lottery. A barrier in some instances is resources and funding and Paladin is still calling for more resources and funding nationally to support and resource stalking cases.”
The Alice Ruggles Trust said there had been progress but added: “We would like to see a consistent approach across all force areas.”
The campaign group Women Against Rape said: “Stalking most often occurs when men, often ex-partners, want a sexual relationship and won’t take no for an answer.
“As with domestic violence, women’s reports of stalking are not taken seriously enough. Over 1,000 police officers have been accused of domestic violence in the last three years – but just 69 constables were sacked or quit. Can we expect such police to arrest stalkers and other abusive men?”
The victims’ commissioner, Helen Newlove, said: “Stalking ruins lives, and while improvements are being made, the response victims receive still depends far too much on where they live. Meanwhile, the support services victims rely on to cope and recover are facing a crisis, as funding is reduced.
“It is important that all victims feel safe – they also need access to dedicated frontline support wherever they live. Only then will perpetrators be stopped, and victims have the safety and support they deserve.”
