Calls for domestic abusers in Brent to be registered to protect victims

Navin Shah is calling for a domestic abuser register in Brent (Image: Archant)

The London Assembly (LA) member for Brent & Harrow said a register, equivalent to that used for sex offenders, would work with Brent Council’s Borough Plan, which outlines a “significant reduction” in domestic violence by 2019.

A report on domestic abuse from the LA’s Labour Group, launched earlier this month, urges the government to introduce a register to allow police to hold information on perpetrators and better protect survivors.

In April Kylle Godfrey, who lives on the North Circular Road, Neasden, became the first person in the country ordered to report to police if he is in a new relationship for more than two weeks, so that new partners can be informed of his previous violent behaviour.

But Mr Shah said the current provisions were “too patchy”.

In the last year there were nearly 150,000 incidents of domestic abuse in London, 5,564 of them in Brent.

Yet only 400 serial cross border offenders are kept on a list for monitoring and tracking by the police.

The number of domestic abuse victims in London has increased by 15 per cent since 2014 despite a range of protection orders from the government including Domestic Violence Protection Orders, which ban abusers from returning to a residence and having contact with the victim for 28 days, and Criminal Behaviour Orders which prevents perpetrators from contacting or approaching their victims.

The register would put the onus on offenders to give the police their personal details, including name and address, and to update with any changes.

Mr Shah said: “In its borough plan for 2015-2019, Brent Council rightly highlighted tackling domestic violence as one of its goals, and tougher checks on perpetrators and a register of offenders would be important steps in achieving this goal.

“I recognise that the government have improved the law to allow for tougher action against abusers, but the provision is too patchy and reoffending remains too high.

“We need to send a clear message to anyone committing domestic abuse that the police have them on their radar.

“ I’m backing calls for a register of domestic abusers because I believe it could provide a vital step change in the way we prevent reoffending and protect people from these devastating crimes.”