London: Domestic abuser must tell police if he gets a new girlfriend

London, U.K.

Londoner Kylle Godfrey believed to be first person in England and Wales to be subject to new domestic violence disclosure scheme.

A man who violently abused two former partners is believed to be the first person in England and Wales who must tell police if he gets a new girlfriend.

Under the seven-year criminal behaviour order, Kylle Godfrey must inform police if he is in a relationship for more than 14 days, while officers can tell new partners about his previous violent behaviour under the domestic violence disclosure scheme.

It is thought the specific requirement to notify police about developments in his private life – made under the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Police Act 2014 – is a legal first.

Godfrey, 30, from Neasden, north-west London, who is serving a three-year prison sentence for two counts of actual bodily harm, perverting the course of justice and witness intimidation, throttled one victim and banged her head on the floor, causing trauma injuries to her head. The attacks took place over several days in October last year.

He continued to intimidate her while on bail and assaulted a second woman he was in a relationship with, Wood Green crown court in north London was told.

The order was made last week after Godfrey admitted the attacks during a court hearing on 14 February.

DI Jane Topping, of the Hackney community safety unit, said: “This order gives us a new way of protecting victims of domestic abuse and prevents other women from suffering at the hands of people like Godfrey, and helps our efforts to tackle domestic violence.

“The victim in Godfrey’s case was subjected to a horrendous ordeal by him following a sustained campaign of domestic violence. She has shown incredible bravery in supporting our investigation, and I hope she feels safer now Godfrey is behind bars and will be subject to closer scrutiny.”

Last year a man was given a court order requiring him to inform police 24 hours before any sexual contact with a woman, despite being cleared of rape.

Magistrates in York said the man, who could not be named for legal reasons, was also subject to restrictions online and was required to declare to police any phone he owned that was capable of accessing the internet, calling or texting people.

He was acquitted of raping a woman at a retrial in 2015 after claiming that the alleged victim had consented.

Source: The Guardian U.K.