New PSNI plan to tackle violence against women and girls after Sarah Everard murder

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The PSNI is creating its first ever violence against women and girls strategy - following the rape and murder of Sarah Everard in London. 

In a statement, Chief Superintendent Anthony McNally said the 33-year-old's tragic death has firmly placed a spotlight on violence against all females. 

Her killer Wayne Couzens - who was a serving police officer at the time of her death - will never be released from prison. 

CS McNally says a review is underway to better understand the issue in a Northern Ireland context and a working group has been set up.

A protest in Belfast after the rape and murder of Sarah Everard in London

PSNI statement in full:

Chief Superintendent Anthony McNally, Head of the Public Protection Branch said: “The tragic death of Sarah Everard has firmly placed a spotlight on violence against women and girls (VAWG) for all. This is a priority for the Police Service, and we are working with partners to provide a whole systems approach to combatting this in our communities, currently leading on the creation of the first PSNI VAWG strategy for Northern Ireland.

“A literature review is underway to better understand VAWG in a Northern Ireland context and a working group has been set up by the Police Service to garner feedback and guidance from key agencies including Women’s Aid and Victim Support.

“We are working closer than ever with key partners to ensure that we are continuously joined up in bettering the response to VAWG from the entire criminal justice system, including implementing recommendations made from the Gillen Review in conjunction with the Department of Justice.

“Officers also work in collaboration with Safeguarding Board NI to ensure that any investigative issues are identified at an early stage and learning can be highlighted and embedded.

“As a Police Service we take offences committed by our own officers incredibly seriously. It is entirely unacceptable for police officers, who are responsible for enforcing the law, to break the law themselves. Offences of dishonesty, sexual offences and violent crime are particularly serious and likely to terminate an officer’s career.

“We have a dedicated Police Standards Department who deal with these investigations, on a case by case basis. One of the over-riding purposes of our police misconduct regime is to protect the public. Abuse of any kind by Police officers will not be tolerated and there are robust internal and criminal mechanisms to deal with any officer who is found to be a perpetrator.”