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Crime

Huge investment to tackle domestic abuse perpetrators and protect victims

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A MAJOR government initiative will see £53 million invested over the next four years to directly target the most dangerous domestic abuse perpetrators across England and Wales, in a bid to reduce repeat offending and better protect women and children.

Announced by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the plan forms a key part of the Government’s wider “Plan for Change” and commitment to halve violence against women and girls within a decade. The strategy focuses on shifting the burden of safety from victims to perpetrators by ramping up early interventions, disruption tactics, and long-term behavioural change.

Drive Project to expand nationwide

At the heart of the new measures is the expansion of the Drive Project, a specialist programme first piloted in 2016, which uses intensive case management to challenge and change the behaviour of high-risk abusers. Backed by a consortium of leading organisations – Respect, SafeLives, and Social Finance – the programme combines offender monitoring, protective orders, and substance misuse interventions, with parallel support for victims through Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (IDVAs).

Results from the scheme show dramatic reductions in abuse: physical abuse down by 82%, sexual abuse by 88%, stalking by 75%, and controlling behaviour by 73%.

With the new funding, the project will expand to 15 additional areas by March 2026, with full national rollout planned thereafter.

Targeting predatory behaviour in public spaces

Alongside the domestic abuse investment, an additional £230,000 will be used to enhance Project Vigilant, a scheme that deploys plain-clothed officers in nightlife hotspots to detect and disrupt predatory behaviour. Operated by Thames Valley Police and others, the initiative also includes new tools such as sniffer dogs trained to detect date-rape drugs.

This dual approach – tackling offenders both in private settings and in the night-time economy – underscores the government’s broader shift to a suspect-focused policing model.

Victims at the centre

Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, said the new focus aims to ensure victims are no longer responsible for managing the threat posed by abusers.

“We are going after perpetrators wherever they pose a threat – at home or on the street. Every penny we invest in holding offenders to account is a step toward a safer future for victims,” she said.

The announcement precedes the Civil Society Summit being held today (Thursday, July 17), where ministers will join panels alongside leading organisations including Women’s Aid and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner to discuss long-term strategy.

Collaborative delivery

The Drive Project will be delivered in collaboration with police forces, Police and Crime Commissioners, and local domestic abuse services. Key interventions will include:

  • Use of protection orders and enforcement to disrupt abuse
  • Working with social services to protect children
  • Relocating perpetrators to prevent reoffending
  • Tackling drug and alcohol misuse
  • Long-term behavioural programmes
  • Continuous victim support

Kyla Kirkpatrick, Director of The Drive Partnership, welcomed the new funding, saying: “Victim-survivors consistently tell us they want those who harm them to be seen, stopped, and held to account. This investment allows us to do just that, in partnership with local services.”

The latest funding comes on top of nearly £20 million announced earlier this year to support victims of abuse, including £6 million earmarked for helplines.

A refreshed strategy on violence against women and girls is expected shortly, setting out further steps on prevention, early intervention, and system-wide transformation.

 

Crime

Pembrokeshire hairdresser avoids prison after pub assault

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When a Fishguard mobile hairdresser was branded a chav in her local pub, she took umbrage by throwing a glass of gin at the woman who had spoken the words.

But this week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that when the glass shattered into the victim’s face, the woman sustained lacerations to her neck and chin.

Appearing before the Bench was 43-year-old Donna Thomas of White Lodge, Dyffryn, Goodwick,  who pleaded guilty to assaulting Hannah Llewellyn, causing her actual bodily harm.

The court was told that Thomas arrived at The Royal Oak pub in Fishguard, at around 8pm on October 18, accompanied by her husband. Approximately an hour later, Hannah Llewellyn arrived.

“The defendant began speaking to the victim and an argument broke out,” said Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies.

“The defendant hit the victim to her face with a glass which smashed against her face, neck and skin, causing lacerations.”

Photographs of the lacerations were shown to the Bench.

But the probation service stressed that the assault had been prompted by a derogatory remark made to the defendant by Hannah Llewellyn.

“The defendant had had two drinks earlier that evening, she drank two more at the pub prior to the incident, and was tipsy but was aware of what was happening around her,” commented the probation officer.

 “She went over to the table where the victim was sitting, her husband introduced her to the victim who he’d known since his school days, and they began discussing land on friendly terms.  But the victim then laughed at the defendant’s  job, which is a self-employed mobile hairdresser, and called her a chav. 

“Without thinking, Donna Thomas went to throw the drink over the victim’s face but she knocked the glass.  She didn’t intend to hurt her physically, but just wanted to throw the drink.”

Thomas was sentenced to 18 weeks in custody suspended for 18 months.  During this time she must carry out 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 150 hours of unpaid work.  She was ordered to pay £750 compensation to Hannah Llewellyn, a £154 court surcharge and £85 costs.

 

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Crime

Farm worker overturns Mercedes when over drink-drive limit

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A Pembrokeshire farm worker has  lost his licence after overturning his Mercedes when he was over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates were told that at around 3.40pm on January 10, police received reports that a black Mercedes had been involved in a single vehicle road collision on the A487 at Roch.

When officers arrived, they discovered the overturned Mercedes with its driver, Richard James, 45, trapped in the driving seat.

At around 5 pm James was arrested and transported to Withybush hospital where blood samples were carried out.  These gave a reading of 112 mcg of alcohol, the legal limit being 80.

James, of Bryn Seion, Solva, pleaded guilty to drink-driving and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill who informed magistrates that the defendant had collected items for work on the afternoon in question.

“He’d consumed alcohol the night before and had also taken some prescribed medication,” she said.  “He believed he would be safe to drive the following day, but obviously this wasn’t the case.”

Jess Hill added that James is expecting to lose his employment as a farm worker, as the mandatory driving ban will prevent him from driving the vehicles involved with his work.

James was disqualified from driving for 14 months and ordered to pay a £346 fine, a £138 court surcharge and £85 costs.

 

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Crime

Pembrokeshire man charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children

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A PEMBROKESHIRE man has appeared before magistrates charged with making hundreds of indecent images of children.

David Lewis, 42, is accused of making 261 of the most serious category A images of a child together with 71 category B images and 51 category C images of a child.  The offences are alleged to have been committed between March 19, 2025 and August 6, 2025.

He is further accused of distributing one indecent category A image of a child at an undisclosed location in Llanteg, Narberth, on July 27, 2025.

This week Lewis – formerly of Ashdale Lane, Pembroke but now residing at Hoopers Guest House in Swansea – appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates where he submitted no pleas to all four charges.

Crown Prosecutor Dennis Davies told magistrates that a total of 81,000 images and videos are currently being investigated in respect of the defendant, with the result that the police enquiry is not yet complete.

 “A lot of these photographs are of babies, with the result that their severity is not suitable for the magistrates court,” Dennis Davies told the Haverfordwest Bench.

As a result of the Crown’s comments, magistrates declined jurisdiction and the matter will now be dealt with by Swansea Crown Court, commencing on May 29.  Lewis was released on unconditional bail.

 

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