Clare's Law: How can you find out about a partner's history of abuse?
When 36-year-old Clare Wood began a relationship with George Appleton, she had no idea that the man she was dating had a history of violence and domestic abuse. Why would she? The only information Clare had was what Appleton had told her while they were dating.
Clare had no way to access information about Appleton's concerning history. If she had, that knowledge could have saved her life.
Instead, in February 2009, Clare was murdered by Appleton at her home in Salford, Greater Manchester. He strangled her and set fire to her body before taking his own life. Crime+Investigation examines Clare Wood's story, the campaign her father fought in her memory, and what Clare's Law means for anyone worried about a partner's past.
Who was Clare Wood?
Clare was a mother who lived in Salford and worked in a local supermarket. She had met Appleton through an online dating site, and the pair began a relationship. But what may initially have seemed like a normal romance became increasingly frightening.
Wood had made several complaints to the police about Appleton before her death. She notified them of sexual harassment, abusive behaviour and stalking. Little did Clare know, Appleton had previously been convicted of violent offences and had a history of abusive behaviour towards women.
Clare was unaware of the full extent of his past. Tragically, in February 2009, George Appleton went to Clare's home and murdered her.
Her family were left devastated. They were also faced with an agonising question: if Clare had known about Appleton's history, could she have made a different decision about the relationship?
That question would become the driving force behind her father Michael Brown’s campaign.
A fight for change
Following Clare's murder, her father began campaigning for a change in the way information about domestic abusers was shared.
Michael’s argument was simple. If police knew that someone had a history of violence towards previous partners, why shouldn't a new partner be allowed to know?
At the time, police already had common-law powers that could allow them to disclose information where necessary to prevent crime. But there was no formal, nationwide scheme specifically designed to give people access to information about a partner's history of domestic violence. Clare's family wanted to change that.
Their campaign eventually helped inspire the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme, which became known as Clare's Law.
What is Clare’s Law?
Clare's Law was rolled out across all police forces in England and Wales in March 2014. It was later extended to Scotland and Northern Ireland in 2015 and 2021 respectively. The law has two key elements, the ‘Right to Ask’ and the ‘Right to Know.’
The Right to Ask allows someone to contact the police and ask whether their current or former partner has a history of domestic violence or abusive behaviour.
Importantly, you do not necessarily have to be asking about yourself. If you are worried that a friend, relative or someone else you know could be at risk, you can also make an application about their partner.
The Right to Know works slightly differently. Police can proactively disclose information if they receive intelligence suggesting that someone may be at risk from a current or former partner.
The aim is not to provide people with a full criminal record. Instead, specially trained police teams assess the information and decide whether disclosure is necessary and proportionate to protect someone from harm.
What can police tell you?
Clare's Law is not a simple criminal record check. The information given needs to be relevant to protecting someone from domestic abuse. That can include previous convictions, allegations or other police intelligence relating to violent or abusive behaviour.
And domestic abuse is not limited to physical violence. The scheme can take account of behaviour such as coercive control, emotional abuse and financial abuse.
If police find information that raises concerns, they will normally arrange for it to be disclosed safely and can provide support and advice about what to do next.
In other words, the purpose isn't to tell someone who they should or shouldn't date. It is about giving them information that could help them make an informed decision about their own safety.
A law born from tragedy
The national rollout followed a successful pilot scheme in four police areas. During the 14-month pilot, more than 100 people were given information that was considered potentially lifesaving.
Since then, Clare's Law has become an important part of the UK's approach to preventing domestic abuse.
For more on the legislation and campaigns that have changed how Britain approaches domestic abuse, sign up to the Crime+Investigation newsletter. Every week, you'll receive the latest articles, episodes and more from C+I delivered straight to your inbox.
