One year of DAPO: 478 granted and prison sentences of up to 52 weeks dished out

It’s been just over a year since we put ourselves forward to take part in a Home Office and Ministry of Justice pilot to help us tackle domestic abuse.

Cleveland Police was one of four forces selected in March 2025 to start implementing Domestic Abuse Protection Orders (DAPOs) which provide enhanced protection for victims.

During that time, 478 DAPO applications submitted by police have been granted by the courts with four of them being indefinite orders for those who present a high and ongoing risk to the victim.

Positive requirements can be imposed under a DAPO which requires the perpetrator to take a positive action such as attendance on a perpetrator behaviour change programme.

Breach of any DAPO requirement is a criminal offence and in the first year of the pilot, we have acted on 430 breaches securing various fines and custodial sentences – the longest being 52 weeks in prison.

We are able to apply for DAPOs even if a victim is not supportive and the victim doesn’t need to go to court. Through a collaborative effort among our local policing teams, our Domestic Abuse Solutions Team (DAST) and our legal team we’re able to secure protective orders on their behalf.

Last year however, we noticed there was an increasing demand in getting DAPO applications heard in court and through working with the Ministry of Justice we secured a dedicated court at Teesside Magistrates’ Court for these to be heard.

We are due to have a second dedicated court open in the coming months to help support the continuous demand for protective orders.

Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline McGlade said: “We remain committed to going above and beyond for our victims and do all we can to protect them. We will continue to build on the work we’ve done so far by ensuring victims feel heard and supported and that offenders are brought before the courts to face justice.

“Domestic abuse is a devastating and often hidden crime which has long-last impacts on victims and their loved ones. DAPOs have been instrumental in protecting so many people and through monitoring offenders we’re able to really quickly act on any breaches.

“I hope this reassures the public that tackling domestic abuse is an absolute priority for Cleveland Police. If anyone is experiencing domestic abuse, please know that we are here to help you. We have dedicated, specially trained officers who will listen to you, believe you and support you.”

You can report domestic abuse to Cleveland Police 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and there are also excellent local organisations who can help you.

You can use the 101 number to contact Cleveland Police at any time - but always use 999 in an emergency.

You can find out more about how to report domestic abuse here: How to report domestic abuse | Cleveland Police