Wiltshire Police have concluded a comprehensive review of 3,778 applications made under the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, commonly known as Clare’s Law. This urgent investigation was initiated following the tragic murder of 14-year-old Tomasz Oleszak in Gateshead last October, which brought serious service failures to light.
The review identified 33 failures, representing less than 1% of the applications checked. These included 14 administrative errors and 17 service failures, such as non-disclosure of information and inadequate research. Tragically, two cases involved individuals who were harmed as a result of these failures.
One Wiltshire Police employee remains suspended while an ongoing investigation is conducted by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC). In total, five cases, including the initial referral, have been passed to the IOPC. These cases involve harm caused to individuals, administrative mistakes, and poor organisational responses to earlier complaints dating back to 2019 and 2020.
Chief Constable Catherine Roper made a stark admission regarding the findings, stating: “We let people down and now know our failures may have contributed to at least two people being harmed. This is completely unacceptable and appalling.” She added that once these failings were identified, additional resources were allocated to review all Clare’s Law applications dating back to April 2015. The force also carried out risk assessments to prioritise cases needing urgent attention.
Despite the thorough review, some individuals could not be contacted due to safety concerns. Wiltshire Police remain committed to reaching out to these people when it is safe to do so. Chief Constable Roper encouraged anyone with concerns to come forward, saying: “I know we have caused anxiety, but please come forward if you fear someone is at risk of domestic abuse.”
The IOPC investigation is ongoing, with Wiltshire Police providing regular updates. New Clare’s Law applications continue to be accepted via the official 1 Police website. Anyone in immediate danger is urged to call 999 without delay.
Originally published by UKNIP.
