Domestic abusers in West Midlands to be tagged after leaving prison

Domestic abusers are to be tagged on leaving prison in a pilot scheme aimed at providing protection and reassurance for their victims.

Up to 500 convicts will, for the first time, be made to wear electronic monitoring tags and face the prospect of a return to jail if they breach the rules.

The pilot is launching in the East and West Midlands and the Government said it is expected to be rolled out across England and Wales next year.

Any offender deemed to pose a threat to a former partner or their children can be tagged under the scheme, meaning their whereabouts can be monitored, they can be banned from going within a certain distance of a victim's home, and a strict curfew can be enforced, the Ministry of Justice said.

The Government also stated that more than 2,700 victims have been protected from further harassment from their imprisoned abusers, under the Unwanted Prisoner Contact Service which launched last summer.

The scheme's figures and the pilot have been welcomed by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner for England and Wales as a " positive step forwards in protecting victims".

Commissioner Nicole Jacobs said: "By blocking perpetrators from contacting victims, the Unwanted Prisoner Contact scheme sets an important standard that the criminal justice system will not be used to further domestic abuse, making a difference for survivors' safety, recovery, and freedom from abuse.

"For too long, the onus has been on victims of domestic abuse to protect themselves from harm. I will continue to work with government."

Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said: "Survivors of domestic abuse show great strength and bravery in coming forward, and it is right that every tool is used to protect them from further harm.

"The tagging of prison leavers at risk of committing further domestic abuse is a further protection we are introducing to help victims rebuild their lives and feel safe in their communities."

But Labour's shadow justice secretary Steve Reed said the Government has a "shameful record of ignoring domestic abuse".

"This pilot is a pathetic effort to stem the rising tide of violence against women and girls that has skyrocketed on their watch," he said.

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