Sarah Everard: PSNI working on violence against women strategy

Sarah Everard was falsely arrested and handcuffed by Met Police officer Wayne Couzens

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said it is working on its first violence against women and girls (VAWG) strategy.

This follows the murder of Sarah Everard.

Ms Everard, 33, 33-year-old woman was abducted, raped and murdered by Met Police officer Wayne Couzens in London, in March.

PSNI Ch Supt Anthony McNally said the case had "firmly placed a spotlight on violence against women and girls".

Former police ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan said it was important the PSNI acted quickly.

She said that it was inevitable that women will feel unsafe after Miss Everard's murder.

Ch Supt McNally said police were working with partners, including Women's Aid and Victim Support, to develop the strategy.

"This is a priority for the police service," he added.

He said the PSNI took offences committed by officers "incredibly seriously".

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"It is entirely unacceptable for police officers, who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves," he said.

"Offences of dishonesty, sexual offences and violent crime are particularly serious and likely to terminate an officer's career.

"We have a dedicated Police Standards Department who deal with these investigations, on a case by case basis.

"One of the over-riding purposes of our police misconduct regime is to protect the public. Abuse of any kind by police officers will not be tolerated and there are robust internal and criminal mechanisms to deal with any officer who is found to be a perpetrator."

Baroness O'Loan says it is "definitely time" for a strategy

Baroness O'Loan called on police in Northern Ireland to be more responsive to women who feel unsafe.

"There are a huge number of women murdered by their partners, murdered by people very close to them, and we know that," she told BBC News NI.

"We know the level of domestic violence and the number of women who have to flee their home with small children and not much more.

"They [police] need to be responsive to the calls when they come in for help. Sometimes the PSNI can be really, really good at that but they really need a strategy for every case that comes in."

'Every woman needs to know they are safe'

Baroness O'Loan said the Couzens case showed it was important to deal with less serious offending in order to prevent serious offending like murder.

She said women should feel safe walking the streets.

"Inevitably some bad things are going to happen - there's violence out there - but if you at least knew that the police had a strategy, that they knew the areas in which there were possible attacks, that they were responding quickly, that you knew you would get a response if you called," he said.

"Often women, walking alone in a dark area, won't think they should call 999, but if she's afraid, she should."