Expert KC appointed to lead urgent independent review of stalking laws
A independent review of stalking laws is being launched today (October 22) to examine whether improvements are needed to better protect victims and bring offenders to justice.
Statistics show that 1.4 million people aged over 16 experienced stalking last year, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales.
There is also evidence of police forces routinely failing to recognise stalking, and mishandling cases when they do, according to a Stalking Super-Complaint published by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust on behalf of the National Stalking Consortium.
It also highlighted potential gaps in current legislation – flaws that may be hampering the criminal justice system’s ability to tackle stalking effectively and provide victims with the protection they deserve.
The Home Office review will examine whether current laws are strong enough to protect victims and ensure perpetrators are punished.
It will also look at how stalking and harassment laws work together — and whether the system needs to be clearer and more joined-up to tackle these dangerous and harrowing crimes.
It will determine whether the law should change so that the police can better spot, investigate and prosecute stalking cases going forward. Crucially, it will also test whether the law can keep up with insidious, emerging forms of stalking, including those carried out online or using new technology.
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips said: “I’ve sat with victims of stalking who’ve shared, in painful detail, how this wicked crime has devastated their lives.
“That’s why this review is vital – to make sure our laws are strong and bold enough to protect victims and track down perpetrators, as part of our mission to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.”
Leading criminal barrister Richard Wright KC has been appointed to lead the review.
He is one of the UK’s most experienced criminal lawyers with extensive experience working on stalking cases, including representing the Prosecution in the case of Alice Ruggles who was tragically murdered by her stalker.
The Government has published the Terms of Reference for the review, which will be completed by March 2026.