Campaigners are calling for a national public register of stalkers, saying it would help reduce serious harm from serial offenders and protect future generations of women and girls. The proposal follows the murder of stalking victim Gracie Spinks and comes as police recorded more than 135,000 stalking offences in England and Wales last year.
Record stalking offences and charges
Last year, police recorded over 135,000 stalking offences in England and Wales, a rise from just under 3,000 a decade ago, according to analysis by the Lib Dems. A Crown Prosecution Service study showed that the number of stalking offences resulting in charges between April 2025 and March 2026 reached a record high of 8,561.
Laura Richards, founder of Paladin, the National Stalking Advocacy Service, stressed that any new register must be enshrined in law. She believes police forces must be compelled to reveal any history of stalking or domestic abuse. She is calling for serial stalkers and domestic abusers to be included on the Violent and Sexual Offenders Register, and wants a national database shared by all 43 police forces in England and Wales, managed via the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements. The proposal has the backing of a Change.org petition signed by almost 300,000 people.
Campaigners demand legal change
Laura said: “The change needs to be enshrined in law so it will have longevity. We want convicted stalkers and domestic abusers on a public-facing register like those in Ireland, and the US states of Tennessee and Florida.”
“Courts in the UK now flag domestic abuse cases, and a system is in place, which is really good news so they can create a public record. But they are not doing this for stalkers. We want that, plus pro-active tracking of abusers and stalkers on one national network. Offenders will not want to be on the database because of the shame involved. That will be a big part of the deterrent... they are often serial offenders.”
Gracie Spinks case highlights failures
One of the worst cases highlighted by campaigners is the murder of stalking victim Gracie Spinks in June 2021. An inquest jury concluded she was unlawfully killed by a former work colleague who became "obsessed" with her. Michael Sellers murdered the 23-year-old in Duckmanton, Derbyshire, then killed himself. Gracie's family said the police displayed "total incompetence".
Several months before her death, Miss Spinks reported Sellers to the police for waiting for her near the same field where she died. Two dog walkers found a bag of Sellers' weapons, including three knives, a hammer and an axe with a handwritten note that read: "Don't Lie". Derbyshire Police apologised for their failures. Gracie's father Richard Spinks said after the inquest: "Derbyshire Police let Gracie down, let us down and we hope that they do not let anyone else down. They need to change how they operate from the top to the bottom."
"They just seemed to want to get the job done, deal with the bag or the complaint, and then shelve it and forget about it. There was no investigation. It's just total incompetence."
History of targeting female colleagues
The inquest heard Miss Spinks met Sellers when she started working at Xbite, an e-commerce firm based in Chesterfield, while furloughed from her job as a swimming instructor in April 2020. Sellers had been working there since 2015 and had previously given unwanted attention to seven other female colleagues, but Miss Spinks was not aware of this. Anna White reported the bag of weapons to police, saying she was particularly concerned about the note inside.
On Jan 4, 2021, Sellers parked in a layby near to where she kept her horse Paddy, which had "distressed and upset" her, according to the jury. She told Xbite, which suspended Sellers and conducted a formal investigation, resulting in his dismissal. Miss Spinks then reported Sellers to police. Her report was initially "marked as a real and immediate risk", and police undertook an investigation. The petition states: "The warning signs were all there but the police did not investigate him - a familiar pattern."
"They did not interview Sellers nor did they request the disciplinary file from his workplace, Xbite. Instead, they gave him 'words of advice' about his behaviour. How many more women and girls must die before the Government takes action to ensure these serial perpetrators are proactively identified, assessed and managed just like sex offenders whether they have been convicted or not?"
Clare's Law and government response
'Clare's Law', officially called the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS), means people can ask the police about a current or ex-partner's history of violence or abuse. It also allows police to proactively disclose information if they believe someone is at risk, known as the "Right to Ask" and "Right to Know". However, police are not legally obliged to disclose this information, so it isn't always shared.
Rates of reported stalking offences are climbing, with significant increases recorded in every part of England and Wales. The Metropolitan Police force recorded 11,798 last year, up from 647 a decade ago, while Greater Manchester Police saw a rise from 96 to 10,649 over the same period.
The Government is strengthening the use of Stalking Protection Orders, investing over £13m to establish specialist protection order teams. The CPS says police officers are identifying offences as they work closely to "identify patterns of offending to build robust cases against perpetrators". Olivia Rose, the CPS's National Stalking Lead, said: "Stalking is a terrifying and deeply intrusive crime, whether it happens in person or online. It can leave victims living in fear, feeling isolated as though there is no escape from the shadow of someone else's behaviour."
"Stalkers have more avenues to offend than ever before with technological advancements, but the record level of offences charged shows that our prosecutors are continuing to drive up the number of charges to deliver justice for more victims. Victims and survivors must be at the centre of everything we do. By bringing together survivors, practitioners and experts, we can strengthen our approach to these terrible crimes and hold more offenders to account."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Stalking can have a devastating and lasting impact on victims. We are committed to ensuring victims receive the protection and support they need. We are strengthening protections for victims of stalking. This includes a record £550 million funding package for victim support services, measures to increase the use of Stalking Protection Orders and new guidance to ensure a consistent approach across all police forces and other relevant agencies."
