Illingworth man jailed for breaching domestic order

The 28-year-old appeared at Calderdale Magistrates’ Court on June 27.

This is the fourth breach in West Yorkshire of this new legislation but the first to result in a penalty. It was introduced across the county on June 2 to protect victims of domestic abuse.

Detective Inspector Derrick Oldham, of Calderdale Safeguarding Unit, said: “This is a very useful new piece of legislation which gives us the power to protect victims of domestic abuse even when they are reluctant or too scared to come forward as a victim.

“It gives everyone breathing space to consider their options and enables us to offer them the most appropriate support for the future.

“Domestic abuse cases are rarely straightforward and, even through victims call us for support, they often don’t want to press charges. We welcome this prison sentence which is a good example of how these new powers can be used to prevent serious offences and protect victims from repeat offending.”

Domestic Violence Protection Notices (DVPN) and court issued Domestic Violence Protection Orders (DVPO) allow officers to act fast to protect victims following an incident. The new powers mean police officers do not need to rely on third parties to progress a case and can offer victims protection from abuse or the threat of violence.

When an incident occurs officers can issue an offender with a DVPN which is valid for 48 hours and imposes restrictions such as preventing them from returning to the house or contacting the victim.

If breached then an offender can be arrested and kept in custody to appear before the next available court. During the two day period, the police will apply to the court for a DVPO which prevents the alleged perpetrator molesting the victim and can impose other restrictions for between 14 and 28 days.