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

New measures to upskill prosecutors in the South West 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.

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 West, and more than three quarters of cases flagged as domestic abuse in CPS South West result in a conviction as of June 2025.

In May 2025, prosecutors in CPS South West secured justice after a serial rapist who fatally strangled his partner was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 35 years.

Kieron Goodwin, 33 of Frome, had a history of abusive and controlling behaviour towards women and tried to convince a jury that his partner, Olivia Wood, had suffered injuries as a result of consensual strangulation.

Goodwin used emotional manipulation, threats and violence to get what he wanted from them, whether that be sex or money to buy drugs. This pattern of abuse tragically culminated in Olivia’s death.

After Goodwin was originally charged with murder three of his ex-partners also reported serious sexual offences, prompting a specialist rape and sexual offences prosecutor in CPS South West to link the offences into one case.

The prosecution team pieced together separate accounts of Goodwin’s victims to build the strongest possible case, demonstrating his campaign of violence and sexual offending against multiple women.

Goodwin was jailed for life with a minimum term of 35 years in May 2025.

Victoria Cook, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS South West 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 West, 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.