A man received a jail sentence for violating a court order restricting contact with his ex partner.
Daly violated a Domestic Abuse Protection Order (DAPO). Police issued it after a disturbance report and found signs of a struggle. A witness helped secure the DAPO, even though the victim did not want to press charges. Daly threatened the victim soon after.
Greater Manchester Police are testing DAPOs, which have no time limit. This differs from Domestic Violence Protection orders, which last only 28 days. Courts can add requirements to DAPOs, like electronic tags and programs. Police monitor DAPOs for compliance, unlike restraining orders which receive less monitoring.
This follows Caroline Gore’s murder, where her ex-partner stabbed her. He had breached a restraining order before. People signed a petition for stricter rules, calling for mandatory sentences for breaches and better monitoring with tags.
GMP sought 26 orders, and 25 were granted. None used electronic monitoring because they say electronic tag rules are strict. They must balance victim safety and suspect rights. GMP secured 45 DAPOs so far, and five more applications are in progress.
Victims can also apply for DAPOs directly. Three applications were made in February, and police dealt with ten DAPO breaches this month. Daly’s disregard led to his prison sentence.
Darren Wing, 56, was also convicted of breaching a DAPO. The DAPO scheme started in Bury and later expanded to Wigan and Manchester.
Detective Superintendent Jen Tattersall commented that DAPOs help victims of domestic abuse. Her team supports districts in these cases and advocates for victims in court. Tattersall urges people to report abuse, stating that reports are taken seriously. DAPOs can be secured even without victim consent.