Domestic abuse: Dyfed-Powys Police failed victims, report finds

Dyfed-Powys Police failed victims by wrongly deeming incidents as "standard risk", the report found

Rapes, assaults and threats to kill - including a woman threatened with a blowtorch - were wrongly classed as "standard risk" by Dyfed-Powys Police, a report has found.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services (HMICFRS) said the force needed to improve how it dealt with domestic abuse victims.

The inspectorate added such failures could have caused "serious harm".

The force accepted the findings.

In a review of 230 cases, the report found that several had the "incorrect level of risk applied".

These included "serious assaults, threats to kill, incidents of non-fatal strangulation and rape".

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Inspector Wendy Williams said the "failure to identify risk and provide the appropriate safeguarding and support could leave vulnerable people at risk of serious harm".

She said a "variety of serious offences had been inappropriately graded in a lower risk category" and she would be "closely monitoring" the progress of the force in this area.

It also found that some domestic abuse officers had not received specialist domestic abuse training.

Dyfed-Powys Police has since committed to giving all domestic abuse related incidents a secondary risk assessment, completed by specialist staff.

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Cockwell said: "As a force, we are committed to providing the best possible service to our communities, and we accept the findings and recommendations of this HMICFRS report.

"We are pleased that the report recognises the standards we have achieved around effective investigation of crime, and how the work we do on the whole is keeping people safe, reducing crime and providing victims with an effective service.

"I am particularly proud to see that officers' understanding of the importance of appropriate behaviours and communicating effectively with the public, and our strengths in problem-solving, tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour, and understanding our finances were highlighted.

"The report published today is based on an inspection that took place between January and June 2023 and we have already started a programme of work to make improvements in the areas identified."