Five Domestic Abuse Protection Orders granted in first week of pilot in Wigan
Five Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) were granted in the first week of a pilot scheme in Wigan, following its launch in Bury in late November. The orders were issued in cases involving harassment, physical assault, and property damage, with durations of six months each. Authorities highlighted the importance of DAPOs in protecting victims, even when they do not wish to pursue criminal charges. No breaches have been reported yet, but monitoring is ongoing. Officials, including Detective Superintendent Toby Facey and Minister Jess Phillips, praised the initiative for enhancing victim safety and perpetrator accountability.
Greater Manchester Police secured five Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in Wigan during the first week of the pilot scheme’s expansion to the borough, which began on 6 January 2025.
The orders, which allow courts to impose immediate restrictions on suspected domestic abusers even without criminal charges, include cases ranging from harassment to physical assault. A 48-year-old man received a six-month order for repeatedly refusing to leave his ex-partner’s address while intoxicated. Another man was served after demanding money, attempting forced entry, and damaging a woman’s front door.
Physical violence featured in two cases. One victim disclosed multiple assaults and needed help escaping an increasingly violent relationship. In another incident, a woman became the first female in Greater Manchester to receive a DAPO after allegedly assaulting someone with a bottle and chasing them down the street. The victim declined criminal prosecution but sought the alleged perpetrator’s removal from the address.
Detective Superintendent Toby Facey, force lead for domestic abuse, emphasized the orders’ immediate protective value. “It is clear from the circumstances of these incidents the need to immediately protect these victims and ensure their safety, even if they have not wished to support criminal prosecution,” Facey stated. “Perpetrators of domestic abuse should not underestimate DAPOs and the sanctions they could face if they breach the conditions of them; we’ve already seen people getting weeks or months in prison.”
Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips praised the early results. “To see these new orders in use and protecting people is really important - in the short time since they were launched, they have already provided greater safety for victims and more robust management for perpetrators of domestic abuse,” she said.
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