Failing to act over stalking could lead to murder says criminologist

A failure to act when somebody is the victim of stalking, could lead to increasing violence - and potentially murder.

Those are the findings of a new report which studied the homicides of over 350 victims.

The report found that stalking was present in 94% of the cases they studied.

Surveillance activity, including covert watching, was recorded 63% of the time.

And an escalation of "concerning behaviour" was also identified in 79% of the case studies.

Leading the research at the University of Gloucestershire was former police officer, now criminologist, Dr Jane Monckton Smith.

"Practically every case we looked at featured examples of the obsessive, fixated behaviour that typifies stalking," she said.

"Sadly, it is too late for the women and children that formed part of our research so we need to do justice to their memory by acting earlier, when stalkers are demonstrating these behaviours, rather than waiting for the escalation, which can have such profound and tragic results."

The report was commissioned by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which runs the National Stalking Helpline.

The charity is now calling on the courts to recognise stalking as a broader problem and pattern of behaviour.

Chief executive Rachel Griffin said: "Stalking is an obsession which can increase in risk and severity and needs to be addressed under an early intervention model.

"Acting on what are currently considered to be minor, unrelated incidents, but which are driven by a malicious intent which could later put the victim at great risk, could help to save lives."

This week is national stalking awareness week. There will be events organised by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust across the country.