A woman from Northamptonshire has told the BBC she fears her ex-partner will kill her if the police do not take action over alleged breaches of a restraining order. The ex-partner, who was previously convicted of harassing her husband and given a suspended prison sentence, is accused of posting threatening messages on social media that the woman believes refer to her and her husband.
The woman, who has not been named, described a history of extreme violence during the relationship, including being hit, kicked, strangled, held at knifepoint, and threatened with death. She recalled an incident where he threatened to "drop kick me in the face," prompting her to flee with her children and lock the keys in the door to prevent his return. He nonetheless re-entered the property and tried to persuade her to stay.
Despite a five-year restraining order being imposed, the woman says her ex-partner has posted messages online that, while not naming them, clearly identify the couple through nicknames. When she reported this to Northamptonshire Police, she was told that because no names were used, there was insufficient evidence to prove a breach.
The woman told the BBC: "We know, by the nicknames he's using, it's about us. But, when I've gone to the police, they just say we're not named - 'we can't do anything'." She described living in fear, with curtains shut and doors locked, only leaving the house for work or school runs. "I keep saying to the police 'he will kill me - you need to stop this before I'm the next statistic of females being killed by a partner or an ex-partner'," she said.
A Northamptonshire Police spokesperson said: "On this occasion, there simply wasn't enough evidence to prove that a breach of the order imposed had been committed and therefore no realistic chance of a prosecution. A victim's right to review has also taken place regarding this case, conducted by an independent officer, and the original decision was upheld." They added that they encourage continued reporting of suspected breaches.
The woman expressed her frustration, saying the restraining order "is not worth the bit of paper it's written on." She has called for the police to act before it is too late.
