As part of the Government’s new plan to “crackdown on domestic abusers on a large scale”, GMP will pilot the new Domestic Abuse Protection Notices and Orders in the Greater Manchester region.
This cross-jurisdictional order aims to provide flexible and longer-term protection for victims.
This ultimately means that that the court will be able to impose requirements – such as attendance to perpetrator behaviour change programmes – alongside electronic monitoring and making it mandatory for offenders to notify the police of name and address changes, according to GMP – with a breach of any requirement being a criminal offence that could result in fines, up to five years in prison, or a combination of both.
GMP will also be required to work with The Home Office to “proactively highlight and reiterate” who the most dangerous domestic abusers are in their force area to prevent them from committing further crimes.
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A new assessment tool will also help police identify domestic abusers who are most likely to commit greatest harm – including those without convictions.
Some of the other measures being introduced as part of the pilot scheme will see coercive and controlling behaviour put on par with physical violence, and offenders that are sentenced to a year or more for controlling and coercive behaviour will be recorded on the ‘Violent and Sex Offender register’, alongside other dangerous domestic abuse perpetrators.
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Violence against women and girls will also be classified as a national threat for policing, and will be added as a strategic policing requirement for the first time.
Greater protection for victims of domestic abuse will be enforced to ensure they receive the correct support for their needs.
On top of this, the Government has committed to establishing 18 centres across the UK that will be recognised as ‘safe spaces’ for victims of abuse to receive emergency help.
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There, they will be offered “appropriate support from the police or support services”.
Greater Manchester Police to pilot new measures to tackle domestic abuse / Credit: GMP
GMP’s Detective Chief Superintendent, Michaela Kerr, says the force has been chosen for the pilot in recognition of “the significant improvements” it has made in its “arrangements towards domestic abuse”.
“There will no longer need to be violence involved to meet the rounds for an order to be issued,” she explained, “and this will particularly strengthen our opportunities around coercive control and can be used all types of domestic abuse whether it be physical, emotional, psychological, sexual, or financial.”
#CLARESLAW | GMP & other police forces across the UK are allowed to disclose information to a potential victim of domestic abuse, if you believe your partner may be a danger to you.
DCS Kerr said the pilot scheme means GMP will ensure that it “maximises every opportunity that this gives us to better protect victims and reassure the public that we’re all working together to improve our response to domestic abuse.
“If you are a victim of domestic abuse, know someone who is or has been affected by domestic abuse or violence, we can support you.
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“We would urge those who are being domestically abused in any form to contact us directly as GMP can also put you in touch with other support organisations that understand your specific needs.
GMP anticipates the pilot will be officially launched in June 2023.
Featured Image – iStockPhoto
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Salford Red Devils granted another adjournment over unpaid debts
Danny Jones
Salford Red Devils have been given one more adjournment and yet another stay of execution, being given another two weeks to find the money to cover their unpaid debts.
The local rugby league side, which has been wrapped in all manner of struggles both on and off-pitch over the past year or so, reportedly needs to pay around £700,000 to HMRC alone and still owes roughly £5 million in total to various creditors.
To no surprise, regular matchgoers, neutrals and even rivals alike have expressed their continued disappointment with the club, mainly at the lack of transparency and clarity from the organisation throughout this long, drawn-out process.
This is coming from a wire fan but no club deserves to be left in the dark even longer than they already have done it’s nothing but a disgrace to the sport of rugby those owners and the court should be ashamed of themselves.
Updating fans on social media, this is all the information they have communicated at this time: “Salford Red Devils can confirm that HMRC have granted the club a two-week adjournment, providing additional time in which to secure the necessary funds.
“We would like to reassure supporters that we are working tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure a positive resolution. Further updates will be shared as soon as possible.”
It’s worth noting that the current owners have reiterated that they inheited around £3m in existing debt before they took over the club, but assurances over their own investments have still come to nothing; meanwhile, with many still waiting on wages, players and staff alike have now left.
Having been propped up by loan players and emergency loans, the team is now closer to a skeleton crew than it is an outfit capable of competing in the premier division.
Either way, the outrage remains and is only growing stronger. One user wrote on X: “A good approach by them if they was legit would be to engage and bring in The 1873 to bridge the communication black hole (they created).
“The problem with that is if they did it would expose them for what they are… Extortionists using the club as a vehicle.”
More alarm bells were raised recently when assistant coach and Krisnan Inu – who was also director of the company set up to take over the business – withdrew himself from a key position behind the scenes.
Speaking of The 1873, the outspoken supporters trust took no time at all in issuing a response of their own, adding: “The judge presiding over today’s case has adjourned by 14 days. This adjournment has dragged the uncertainty on even longer.
“Every delay makes planning for 2026 harder and keeps the club stuck in limbo when it desperately needs clarity and direction.
“The fans, the players and the future all deserve better — The 1873.”
You can see the rest of their statement in full down below, but for now, what do you make of this seemingly neverending saga, Salfordians?
‘Christmas chaos’ on the cards as Manchester tram drivers vote on staging strike action next month
Emily Sergeant
There could be major disruption to festive travel in Greater Manchester next month, as hundreds of tram drivers are currently voting on whether to strike.
Almost 320 tram drivers are being balloted over working conditions and fears around fatigue.
The drivers – who are members of the union, Unite – all work for KeolisAmey Metrolink Limited at the Warwick Road South and Queens Road depots in Manchester – and they operate trams on all routes in Greater Manchester.
As it stands, the drivers’ shift patterns currently mean they have to work 450 hours over a 12-week period, which results in some having to work 50 hours on, followed by just two days off, then back into another 50-hour work pattern.
Drivers also have fewer rest days compared to all other operational departments, and this is said to be causing safety concerns around fatigue.
‘Christmas chaos’ is on the cards as Manchester tram drivers are currently voting on staging strike action next month / Credit: TfGM
Drivers say they concerned about operating heavy vehicles while exhausted and unable to have proper breaks, but after raising the issue with management, Unite has been told there is ‘no funding available’ to support any ‘meaningful’ improvements to working patterns.
Instead, management has asked drivers to start work earlier – which Unite says is only ‘adding insult to injury’.
The ballot is set to close on 11 November, and if drivers vote in favour of industrial action, strikes could then begin in late November, causing widespread cancellations and delays throughout the region during the busy festive shopping period – particularly coinciding with Manchester’s world-famous Christmas Markets, known for attracting millions of visitors to the city each year.
“Any strike action will cause a great deal of disruption but it is entirely the fault of Metrolink, which is not taking the issue of driver fatigue seriously,” commented Unite Regional Officer, Colin Hayden.
Emily Sergeant -
21st February 2023 
