Facebook victim’s father in Downing Street plea for ‘Clare’s Law’

THE Yorkshire father of a murder victim has handed in a petition at Number 10 demanding a change in the law to help protect women from domestic abuse.

Michael Brown, from Batley, travelled to Downing Street as part of a campaign to introduce “Clare’s Law” so women can find out if boyfriends or husbands have a history of domestic violence.

Mr Brown’s daughter, Clare Wood, was strangled and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend, George Appleton, at her home in Salford in February 2009.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Appleton, dubbed the “Facebook Fugitive” then went on the run before hanging himself.

Miss Wood, 36, a mother-of-one, had met Appleton on Facebook, unaware of his horrific history of violence against women, including repeated harassment, threats and the kidnapping at knifepoint of one of his ex-girlfriends.

At the inquest into Miss Wood’s death last year, Coroner Jennifer Leeming said women in abusive relationships should have the right to know about the violent past of the men they were with.

“Sarah’s Law”, named after Sarah Payne who was murdered by paedophile Roy Whiting in 2000, now gives parents the right to know of any child sex convictions of men with access to their children.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Brown, backed by MP for Salford Hazel Blears and Manchester radio station Key 103, is asking the Government to introduce Clare’s Law to help women.

Mr Brown, a former prison officer originally from Aberdeen, handed over the petition today carrying around 1,000 signatures calling for a change in the law.

He said: “I have been campaigning for the last six months and have been pleasantly surprised at the public reaction to the proposed change in the law.

“The interest world-wide is also unbelievable, from America to Australia, to an article in a newspaper in Pravda.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“The world is watching for a lead from the UK’s Government, the cradle of democracy, and I pray that they make the right decision.”

Home Secretary Theresa May last year agreed to open a ‘Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme’ to public consultation and is now considering the response.

A verdict of unlawful killing by strangulation was recorded as the cause of Ms Wood’s death and Ms Leeming said she would report back to the Government recommending that people at risk of harm should be given information about their partners’ past so they can make an “informed choice”.

Ms Wood had complained to police of a catalogue of harassment from Wood before her murder.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Police watchdogs at the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) later ruled Ms Wood had been badly let down by Greater Manchester Police who have now instigated a raft of changes to policy and procedures in the handling of domestic abuse cases.