Northern Ireland prosecutors trained on stalking legislation
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Naomi Long
At least 135 prosecutors in Northern Ireland have received special training on stalking since new legislation was introduced two years ago.
The Stalking Act (Northern Ireland) 2022 became law in April 2022, creating the new offences of stalking and threatening or abusive behaviour. The law also led to the introduction of stalking protection orders (SPOs) in October 2023.
The first report on the operation of the Act notes that more than 4,500 PSNI officers and staff, and 135 prosecutors with responsibilities for dealing with stalking cases, have participated in training under the legislation.
A total of 449 files have been sent by the PSNI to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and to date there have been 57 convictions for stalking and threatening or abusive behaviour.
Justice minister Naomi Long said: “I welcome the progress that has been made on the delivery of this legislation, which offers greater protection in our communities to anyone affected by stalking.
“I am grateful to our justice partners, who are playing their part in delivering meaningful change for victims and providing training for their organisations.”
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