Response to concern for welfare - Avon and Somerset Police, September 2019

At 12.33pm on 5 September 2019, a phone call was received by Avon and Somerset Police reporting concern for the welfare of a woman. The report was graded as a ‘priority high’ response (attendance within one hour). Due to resourcing levels, officers were not sent to the woman’s address until approximately 12.15am on 6 September 2019.

There was no reply when officers knocked the door, and believing they had no power to force entry on the basis of the circumstances as they understood them, the officers left the address.

The incident was not resourced again until the morning of 7 September 2019, when officers were again sent to the woman’s address. Officers gained access to the property and found the woman, who had sustained significant bruising and a puncture wound to her neck. The injuries were caused during a domestic incident a week before the concern for welfare call was made.

The woman’s partner was arrested at the address and pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm in February 2020. He was sentenced to 3 years’ imprisonment and was given a restraining order not to contact the victim.

Our investigators reviewed police records, body worn video footage and obtained witness accounts from the police officers who were involved in responding to the incident. They also considered relevant legislation, policies and procedures.

Based on the evidence available we found no indication that any police officer had behaved in a manner that would justify the bringing of disciplinary proceedings or committed a criminal offence.

We concluded our investigation in January 2020.

In the course of our investigation, we identified there may be an area of improvement for Avon and Somerset Police around reviewing the wording of their new concern for welfare policy.