Alleged perpetrators charged with serious domestic violence offences in New South Wales will wear ankle bracelets and have their movements tracked around the clock if they are granted bail.
The NSW government announced the changes would take effect on Friday, and would involve corrective services electronically monitoring alleged perpetrators against geographic bail conditions using GPS technology.
The changes come after the Minns government launched a review of the state’s bail conditions for alleged domestic violence perpetrators after the alleged murder of Molly Ticehurst. The Forbes woman’s former partner Daniel Billings was charged with the domestic violence murder of the 28-year-old. He was on bail for allegedly raping and stalking her at the time of the alleged murder.
The review explored whether alleged perpetrators on bail should be required to wear ankle bracelets.
Shortly after Ticehurst was allegedly murdered, the government also toughened the bail laws for serious domestic violence offenders, which reversed the presumption of bail. This means alleged perpetrators need to explain why they should be let out if they have been charged with any of several serious domestic violence offences.
“It’s harder now for alleged domestic violence offenders to get bail, but if they do, these new monitoring devices ensure corrective services will be able to keep an eye on their movements,” said the NSW deputy premier, Prue Car.
The state already has a domestic violence electronic monitoring program aimed at deterring repeat domestic violence offenders from reoffending, and the government said the change builds upon that.
The purpose of the monitoring is to flag with NSW police if the alleged perpetrator enters a location that they are not allowed to access under their bail conditions.
This include locations where the people in need of protection live or frequent, such as home, school and work locations.
“These changes will give victim-survivors of domestic and family violence greater peace of mind and support their safety planning while the matter is dealt with in the courts,” said Hannah Tonkin, the NSW women’s safety commissioner.
As of October, 54 women have allegedly been killed in an act of violence this year, according to activist group Destroy the Joint.
The NSW government has introduced legislation to create “serious domestic abuse prevention orders”. Under the change, the government said courts would have the power to impose any conditions considered appropriate on alleged domestic violence offenders to prevent reoffending.
This legislation would also create new offences for alleged perpetrators who repeatedly and intentionally breach apprehended domestic violence orders.
Jodie Harrison, the NSW prevention of domestic violence minister, said the introduction of electronic monitoring prioritised victim-survivors’ safety.
“This is one part of a coordinated, multi-pronged response to addressing domestic and family violence in our state that includes earlier intervention and primary prevention,” Harrison said.
The NSW attorney general, Michael Daley, said the number of people on remand for alleged serious domestic violence had increased. He said this signalled the bail reforms that reverse presumption of bail were working.
“Domestic violence is an abhorrent crime and one that the NSW government will not tolerate.”
• In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14 and the national family violence counselling service is on 1800 737 732. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123 and the domestic abuse helpline is 0808 2000 247. In the US, the suicide prevention lifeline is 988 and the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines can be found via www.befrienders.org
