Courts begin formally marking offences involving domestic abuse
Courts in England and Wales must now state in open court when domestic abuse was a factor in an offence. The measure creates a consistent marker on the offender’s record, addressing a gap that made repeat patterns harder to identify after conviction.
The marker can be shared across police, prison and probation digital systems, giving frontline staff a fuller view of an offender’s history. The Ministry of Justice says this should support more tailored interventions and stronger risk management for victims and survivors. Domestic abuse was already treated as an aggravating factor in offences such as assault or stalking, but it was not always recorded in a standard way. The reform took effect on 5 October as part of wider measures on violence against women and girls.
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