Wiltshire Police find 25 failures in Clare's Law applications

Wiltshire Police announced a review into the Clare's Law applications in October 2023

A police force has identified 25 failures in its service after assessing 3,582 applications under Clare's Law.

Wiltshire Police is reviewing the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, after a "catastrophic service failure."

Under Clare's Law, people can apply to the police for information about someone who may pose a risk.

Chief Constable Catherine Roper said the review had identified two people who had come to harm which could have been prevented.

She apologised, saying: "I remain appalled that this ever happened."

Wiltshire Police confirmed it has now risk assessed all of the Clare's Law applications made to them between April 2015 and August 2023, which is when the particular member of staff was working on the scheme.

This person has been suspended from the force and is subject to an investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Ms Roper said: "I was clear when I announced our review in October - this is a catastrophic service failure."

Chief Constable Catherine Roper said there had been "a catastrophic service failure"

Of the 25 failures identified, 11 were administrative failures and 12 were service failures (for example, where police should have disclosed and didn't or where inadequate research was done).

Four referrals have been made to the IOPC altogether, which are being investigated independently.

To get a review carried out "as effectively and swiftly as possible", the force has put 45 members of staff on a review team.

Wiltshire Police has contacted "a significant proportion of the people we identified as requiring immediate contact" and says it is still attempting to contact people it has struggled to get hold of so far.

Ms added: "We have put more scrutiny in place than we've ever had into both the ongoing review but also the team who are assessing new Clare's Law applications."

She has urged people to come forward if they have concerns about people at risk of domestic abuse.