Gracie Spinks' father says new report into stalking is still 'not enough'

Gracie Spinks was murdered by her stalker in 2021 - and her family have since campaigned for a change in how stalking cases are treated by police

The father of a murdered Derbyshire woman has welcomed a new report into how police deal with stalking but says it is still "not enough". Gracie Spinks, 23, was stabbed to death by her stalker and former colleague, Michael Sellars, 35, after she went to care for her horse in Duckmanton, near Chesterfield, on the morning of June 18, 2021.

In a major joint report published on Friday, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), the chief inspector of constabulary and the boss of the College of Policing detailed the findings of an investigation launched in response to a so-called super-complaint raised two years ago. The complaint was launched by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust (SLT) on behalf of the National Stalking Consortium as they urged the Government to change the law to make it easier to prosecute those accused of stalking.

Richard Spinks, who has campaigned alongside Gracie's mother, Alison Ward, for police forces to have improved training and procedures to deal with stalking, said he was "pleased" with the conclusion drawn by the watchdogs.

He said: "We are pleased with the results of the complaint raised by the Suzy Lamplugh Trust and some of the items that are highlighted within it and we will continue to work with this campaign to bring changes to all 43 police forces in the UK.

"The training levels should be brought to a higher standard when it comes to dealing with stalking to a level that is workable so these sorts of crimes cannot be repeated in future. While it is still not enough, and this cannot change the past, we hope that the police follow through with their plans - not just one or two, but all of them - to take stalking more seriously and act on these things, and not just say they are going to do it."

The watchdogs found it “especially concerning” that in some cases they reviewed police “had not identified risk of serious harm or homicide to a victim”. The use of stalking protection orders (SPOs), introduced in 2020 to ban perpetrators from approaching their victims, was “worryingly low” and rules should be simplified so police could make better use of them, they said.

The complaint brought forward by SLT – made through a process which allows charities and other bodies to raise widespread problems which could affect public confidence in policing – set out concerns including how there had been flawed investigations, instances where stalking was not being properly identified, officers “minimising or trivialising” such behaviour and the risk of victims being seriously hurt or killed not being recognised.

The 159-page report said the watchdogs found “clear evidence” supporting the concerns raised and, despite examples of good practice, “in too many cases the police response was not good enough and victims were being let down”.

IOPC director general Rachel Watson said stalking victims needed to have “confidence to come forward, knowing they will be listened to and supported by those whose role it is to keep them safe”, adding: “Change is happening – and today’s report highlights some excellent work we want to see become standard right across England and Wales.

“Sadly, we also saw too many cases where police failed to recognise stalking or take the necessary steps to protect victims – and policing must act now to improve this.” Chief Inspector of Constabulary, Andy Cooke, said the “seriousness of stalking should not be underestimated” and police forces “must do all they can to tackle it with the utmost urgency”.

Despite previous calls for improvement, he added: “It is concerning that we are still not seeing change as quickly as we should; investigations are often not effective enough and all the risks to victims are not being identified. While examples of positive practice were found, this progress is not significant enough to achieve the outcomes all victims deserve.

“Change is needed, and today’s report must be a springboard for action.” According to the report, too often the probe uncovered “examples of the police not taking stalking seriously enough”.

Sir Andy Marsh, the chief executive of the College of Policing which oversees standards, highlighted how among 29 recommendations made in the report suggested exploring how “emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) can be used so that policing systems and frontline officers can spot stalking risks in cases at the earliest opportunity to allow offenders to be targeted and victims supported and protected from harm.”

Emma Lingley-Clark, the SLT charity’s interim chief executive, welcomed the findings, describing it as a “pivotal moment for police forces to demonstrate their commitment to improving the criminal justice experience and outcomes for victims of stalking”.

It is “not enough to just say we will do better, instead, now we need to see a real commitment to preventing the numerous failures encountered by stalking victims”, she said.

Deputy Chief Constable Paul Mills, the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) lead on stalking, said: “We remain committed to doing everything possible to improve the policing response for victims of stalking.

“We are carefully working through the recommendations made for policing and will work closely with our partners across the criminal justice system and beyond to further improve and standardise the service victims receive.”

A Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokeswoman said: “We are continuing to work closely with police to build a picture of a suspect’s manipulative behaviour and actions to present a robust case in court while utilising protective orders to safeguard victims from repeat offending.”

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips said: “Behind the findings in this report are heart-breaking testimonies from victims. Stalking is an insidious crime that can leave survivors traumatised.

“It also sets out important recommendations for how the whole justice system can better tackle this awful crime. We are already actively considering these, looking at how we can work with the police to overhaul how we respond to this crime and put more perpetrators behind bars.

“We thank the Suzy Lamplugh Trust for this report and we will respond fully in due course.”