Abusers convicted of serious domestic violence will have their names included on a publicly available register under a new law designed to allow those with concerns to check whether their partner has a violent past.
The proposed legislation will be known as Jennie’s Law in honour of Jennifer Poole, a 24-year-old mother of two who was murdered by her former partner Gavin Murphy in 2021. Poole did not know he had a history of abusive behaviour, including a conviction for assaulting a former partner.
The Poole family believe that had Jennifer known about Murphy’s previous convictions she might still be alive. They have campaigned for the new register since her murder.
So how will it work? What offences will be covered? What information will be on the register? And are there any unintended consequences for such a register – particularly for victims?
Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research by Ellen Clusker.
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