Clare's law enjoys success

Clare's Law - which allows police to warn people if their partners have a history of domestic violence is going to be rolled out nationally. Clare's father Michael Brown has been campaigning for it for two years. (D521B348)

Officially titled the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, its more common name comes from Clare Wood, a woman from Batley who was brutally murdered by her ex-boyfriend George Appleton in Salford in February 2009.

Mother-of-one Clare was strangled to death and set on fire by Appleton.

In the months before her murder, she had contacted Greater Manchester Police alleging he had harassed, threatened to kill and sexually assaulted her.

Clare's Law - which allows police to warn people if their partners have a history of domestic violence is going to be rolled out nationally.

Through Clare’s Law, information about a potentially violent partner may be revealed in two ways: after a request from a member of the public (“right to ask”) or by an agency that feels a possible victim needs protection (“right to know”).

Between March 11, 2014, to March 11 this year, West Yorkshire Police has made 98 disclosures.

Under “right to ask”, 168 people asked the force about someone’s past, 49 of which were revealed. Under “right to know”, 98 requests for information were made and a further 49 cases disclosed.

Thirty requests are under review.

Clare’s dad Michael Brown was the driving force behind the campaign to get Clare’s law enshrined.

Mr Brown, 73, said: “That could’ve been potentially 100 girls or men in trouble. “I’m quite surprised that it’s gone well beyond any expectation. The more people who know about it, the more will ask.”