MAN SENT TO JAIL AFTER BREACHING UK-FIRST DOMESTIC ABUSE PROTECTION ORDER
A man has been jailed after breaching an order issued earlier this month under new powers given to Greater Manchester Police.Darren Wing, 56, of Harrison Street, Ramsbottom, has been sentenced to 12 weeks after he was caught with a woman he was banned from contacting at a café.He had previously subjected her to coercive and controlling behaviour and physical abuse.The Domestic Abuse Protection Order issued last Thursday (December 5) was one of the first in UK.
It comes after the government gave GMP powers to trial the new type of order which was launched in Bury last month and will be rolled out elsewhere next year.Under the order, Wing was banned from contacting the woman in any way, including digitally, for six months.
However, he was caught on CCTV with the woman at a café and was hauled before the court again on Friday (December 13) for breaching the order.Wing was also sentenced for failing to attend a police station to notify the force of his name and address within three days of the order being made.
He received eight weeks in custody for contacting the woman and four weeks for the notice reporting breach.He is also serving four weeks concurrently for possession of cocaine.
He has been ordered to pay a £154 surcharge in costs.Support our campaign hereIt comes as The Manchester Evening News campaigns for a mandatory minimum prison sentence for breaches of protective orders to be introduced.
The campaign was launched last month, one year on from the horrific murder of Caroline Gore whose abusive ex-partner David Liptrot was spared jail for breaching a restraining order less than four weeks before stabbing her to death at her flat in Wigan.Her family have called for a change in the law, saying that Caroline, who was 44, would 'still be here now' if her killer had not walked free after breaching his restraining order.
More than 64,000 people have signed the M.E.N.
petition calling for the government to act.Unlike the existing Domestic Violence Protection Notices, the new type of order can be granted for any length of time and may include 'positive requirements' such as electronic monitoring or attendance at a behaviour change programme.
The Home Office has promised 'tougher sanctions' for breaching these orders, with a maximum sentence of five years in prison.A GMP spokesperson stated: "The introduction of the Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO) pilot in Bury is already providing us with additional opportunities to pursue offenders and to keep victims safe from harm.
Within a week of issuing the first DAPO in GM, we identified an offender who breached his conditions and acted swiftly with support from our criminal justice partners.
The offender will now spend Christmas behind bars, demonstrating our commitment to pursue offenders who breach protective conditions."
