Judge McElholm and Foyle Women’s Aidinforming approach to strangulation law

Mrs. Long said she met with Judge McElholm and Foyle Women’s Aid to discuss the issue and their insight has been helpful. She has convened a working group and carried out early scoping on the legislation that applies to non-fatal strangulation.

Campaigners say domestic abusers who attempt to strangle their victims often face only the relatively minor common assault charge. It is a much more serious offence than that and should be treated as such, they say.

Speaking in the Assembly this week the minister said: “I commissioned a full review to identify and address any inadequacies in the current legislation, and I have tasked my officials to review the current law, with a view to consulting on improvements and proposing appropriate legislative change as soon as is practicable.

“I put on record my thanks to Judge Barney McElholm, from the Derry court circuit, who has taken a particular interest in this, along with Women’s Aid. I have had long conversations with both about the matter. Meetings of the non-fatal strangulation review board and reference group took place last year, and we are working on developing a consultation paper.”