Claire Waxman, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, said: “Yesterday, my stalker was convicted of three breaches of a lifetime restraining order and of stalking. This has provided my family and me with some relief, but after nearly 20 years of being stalked by this man, the impact of his behaviour has taken an enormous toll on our lives, and it will take us time to recover from this latest ordeal.
It has also been a stark reminder that victims do not have a voice in our justice system. This has made me even more determined to fight for their rights and to put an end to victims being treated as bystanders. If we want victims to come forward to help keep the public safe, then we must fundamentally change the status of victims in our justice system. Their role is too valuable to continue to treat them this way.
My latest experience has reinforced that the Government’s draft Victims’ Bill – as currently written – will make no difference to victims navigating our delayed and broken justice system. The bill must be radically strengthened, along with long-term investment in our justice system and support services, to meet the Government’s objective of ‘putting victims at the heart of the justice system’.
My case has also sadly highlighted that, ten years on, the stalking legislation I campaigned for is flawed and not working for stalking victims. I will be calling on Government to reform the law and create one piece of standalone anti-stalking legislation. It needs to recognise that stalking is a cruel crime of psychological terror which leaves victims suffering for years. A ‘summary only’ offence carrying a maximum sentence of six months does not reflect the severity and long-lasting damage of stalking.
I want to thank the Met Police and CPS for their work on this case. It is clear the Met’s specialist anti-stalking unit S-TAC is making a positive difference to some victims, but they must now work hard to ensure that expertise and knowledge reaches the front line and can help all stalking victims in London. As a result of my experience, we are also now working closely with the Met to review their Witness Care Units which have been struggling to meet victims’ needs. Significant work is underway, and I am confident that together, we will get this unit back on track and providing a better service to victims in London.
Finally, I want to thank my retired Met officer, Daniel Candler. Without him, I would have been unable to cope and attend court. He has provided the support that I want all Met officers to provide for victims. This is the gold standard they should be aiming for.”