New figures demonstrate the ongoing success of enhanced stalking
protections, the Justice Minister has said.
Minister Long has welcomed the publication of an addendum to the
first report on the Protection from Stalking Act (NI) 2022, which
provides additional information on processing times for
conviction cases of stalking and threatening or abusive
behaviour.
The Minister said: “The Department of Justice, through
the Stalking Implementation Working Group, looked at how we could
expand the information we are able to release. I am pleased
we are now in position to provide data on the average length of
time from when an offence is reported to court disposal.
“We will continue to work with members of the Implementation
Group to assess how the first report, and future reports, can be
expanded upon in line with the requirement in the Act to publish
information which is available to the Department.”
Since the Stalking Act became law in April 2022, 90% of
conviction cases of stalking and threatening or abusive behaviour
were dealt with within one year.
Read more at: Report on the Operation of the
Protection from Stalking Act NI 2022 | Department of Justice
Notes to editors:
- The Department of Justice is required by Section 20 of the
Protection from Stalking Act (NI) 2022, to prepare and publish a
report on the operation of the Act.
- The Act received Royal Assent on April 26, 2022, and provided
for a new offence of stalking, the offence of threatening or
abusive behaviour, and introduced Stalking Protection Orders
(SPOs). SPOs and the offence of breaching an SPO came into effect
on 19 October 2023.
