Jennie’s Law: Public Register for Serious Domestic Violence Convicts to Launch
A new law, Jennie’s Law, will establish a public register of serious domestic violence convicts. Named after Jennifer Poole, murdered in 2021 by a partner with a hidden violent past, it aims to protect individuals by revealing partners' abusive histories. The Poole family campaigned for this vital measure.
Individuals convicted of serious domestic violence offenses will have their names added to a publicly accessible register under new legislation. This initiative, known as Jennie’s Law, is designed to enable individuals with concerns to ascertain whether their partner has a history of violent behavior.
The proposed law is named in memory of Jennifer Poole, a 24-year-old mother of two, who was tragically murdered by her former partner, Gavin Murphy, in 2021. Ms. Poole was unaware of Murphy’s extensive history of abusive conduct, which included a prior conviction for assaulting a former partner.
The Poole family has advocated for the creation of this new register since Jennifer’s murder, believing that her knowledge of Murphy’s previous convictions could have potentially saved her life. The implementation details, including the specific offenses covered, the information to be included on the register, and potential unintended consequences, particularly for victims, are currently under consideration.
This report was presented by Bernice Harrison, produced by Suzanne Brennan, with research conducted by Ellen Clusker.