Manchester tech leader welcomes action on stalking and harassment
A leading woman in the Manchester tech community has welcomed a raft of new measures unveiled by the Home Office today (3 December 2024) which will give victims of stalking and harassment more protection.
Naomi Timperley of Tech North Advocates has been subjected to a two and a half year ordeal of online harassment which will reach a legal conclusion of sorts at a sentencing hearing at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court at a date in January 2025.
Naomi, also an industry fellow at University of Salford’s Business School, told TheBusinessDesk.com today that she feels reassured that the measures give protection for victims of stalking.
“As a victim of stalking and online harassment, I find reassurance in the Home Office’s newly unveiled measures aimed at enhancing protections for individuals in my situation,” she said.
“These initiatives include empowering the police to disclose the identities of online stalkers promptly, providing victims with crucial information about their harassers.
“Additionally, the availability of Stalking Protection Orders has been expanded, allowing courts to impose restrictions on perpetrators even after acquittal if they are deemed to still pose a risk. These measures are designed to offer victims greater security and peace of mind during the legal process.”
For the first time, the Home Secretary will issue new ‘Right to Know’ statutory guidance to empower the police to release the identity of an online stalker at the earliest opportunity. This will set out the process for disclosure more clearly to the police and provide victims who are subject to this chilling crime with greater reassurance that they will be quickly told the identity of the individual threatening them online.
But the measures will also provide statutory guidance and a framework to help support services including the police, education and health services work together and share intelligence on cases to ensure that proper protections are put in place for every victim of stalking so that no one is failed by vital information falling through the cracks.
Minister Jess Phillips at Cheshire Police HQ
Minister for Safeguarding and Violence Against Women and Girls, Jess Phillips, visiting Cheshire Police headquarters, said: “As a victim of stalking myself, I know just how terrifying it can be to be subject to such controlling behaviour. Today we are announcing 6 fresh measures which will help people go about their lives with the confidence that the person stalking them is being dealt with robustly and that more protections are in place to help them.”
Further details of the specific case involving Naomi, and other business people in Manchester, is known to TheBusinessDesk.com, but will be withheld until the case concludes as expected in January 2025.
FOOTNOTE (22 January 2025): The sentencing hearing has been adjourned to the 27th of March at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.
