New pledge to recognise patterns of domestic abuse as charges in CPS South East continue to increase

New measure to upskill prosecutors in the South East to better recognise patterns of domestic abuse and its impact on victims have been announced today as part of the Crown Prosecution Service’s rollout of its five-year Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) strategy.

The new strategy, which will reflect the evolving nature and sophistication of crimes involving violence against women and girls, comes into effect from today [Tuesday 25 November, 2025].

All prosecutors in the region will now work under the national strategy, developed after listening to victims’ experiences, and delivering justice through prosecutions which reflect the full reality of each case of abuse.

It comes as exclusive CPS data shows the number of charges for three linked offences involving VAWG; intentional strangulation, stalking, and controlling or coercive behaviour, is continuing to rise in CPS South East, and more than three quarters of cases flagged as domestic abuse in CPS South East result in a conviction (77.1%) as of June 2025.

In July 2025, prosecutors in CPS South East secured justice for victims after a serial abuser who raped and controlled five women for multiple years was sentenced.

George De Bathe, 25, of Chichester, cut his victims off from their family and friends, controlling them in different ways, including taking over their phones and social media, dictating what they wore and ate and who they saw.

He would threaten to kill himself and even controlled their sleep, demanding that they constantly replied to his messages throughout the night. He would also rape them and subject them to physical attacks. One woman was knocked unconscious on more than one occasion, while another was threatened at knife point before he started to strangle her. Some of the women described fearing that he was going to kill them.

De Bathe was convicted of multiple serious sexual offences, as well as controlling and coercive behaviour, actual bodily harm and false imprisonment, after prosecutors were able to build a full picture of his crimes against women. In July 2025, he was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment.

Holly Morton, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South East said: “Today’s data shows our prosecutors have already made good progress in recognising the patterns of domestic abuse offences, but we can’t afford to be complacent.

“That’s why our new strategy will see a renewed focus on training, trauma-informed approaches and more tailored support for victims – to drive more positive change and ensure we support the national aim of halving violence against women and girls within a decade.

“We’re proud of the fact we secure convictions in more than three quarters of all domestic abuse-flagged cases in the South East, but know there is always more to be done in terms of delivering for victims.”

National data, released by the CPS today, highlights the overlapping offences of domestic abuse and rape, and reveals that domestic abuse relates to nearly 7 in 10 instances of harassment, over 8 in 10 instances of revenge porn and stalking, and 9 in 10 instances of strangulation and ‘honour’-based abuse.

Set out by Stephen Parkinson, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the CPS’s new VAWG strategy targets every aspect including how cases are built, taken to court, and scrutinised.

The CPS VAWG Strategy 2025-2030 commits to improving case handling and support through enhanced guidance and training for prosecutors, as well as reinforcing the use of victim-informed approaches to deliver more effective outcomes for all victims of domestic abuse.

Prosecutors will put new learnings about the crossover of these crimes into practice – including recognising how offences involving VAWG are increasingly complex and sophisticated.

This will be achieved by embedding academic findings into cases, undertaking further training and scrutinising cases with the help of VAWG stakeholders to understand how they present in real situations.