New call for ‘Eve’s Law’ in domestic violence cases

A campaigner against domestic violence has joined the parents of a woman who was savagely stabbed to death, in a bid to change the law.

Eve Thomas, 45, who was beaten and set alight by her ex-husband, risked prison last year for refusing to give the address of her “safe house” in open court.

Since then she has campaigned for Eve’s Law legislation for domestic violence victims to be allowed to keep their addresses secret in court. The campaign has received support from scores of MPs.

Now it has been backed by John and Penny Clough, whose 26-year-old daughter Jane was stabbed 71 times by her ex-partner, Jonathan Vass, in a car park at Blackpool Victoria Hospital. Vass was on bail at the time, charged with raping Jane when she was seven months pregnant.

Penny Clough, 54, said: “There are many victims of domestic violence who could be protected through Eve’s law.

“It’s crazy that when people are trying to escape violence the perpetrator can so easily find out where they live. That’s why I fully support what Eve is campaigning for.”

Eve contacted Penny, who was awarded an MBE in 2012, on Facebook. The mother-of-two had been moved by the Clough’s successful Justice For Jane campaign to force a law change allowing prosecutors to appeal bail decisions. They believe their daughter was let down by the justice system.

Brave Jane had reported Vass, the father of her young daughter, to police, alleging he raped her while she was seven months pregnant. He was arrested and charged. But in December, 2010, a judge granted him bail, despite major concerns from the family that he would hurt Jane.

In January of that year, Vass launched the horrific attack repeatedly stabbing Jane and slitting her throat as she lay bleeding on the ground.

Penny said: “The legal system put Jane in danger and it is putting more domestic violence victims at risk. Eve was trying to escape bullying and intimidation and the court was telling the person who was hurting her where she was.”

Last August, Eve, 45, was threatened with a 14-day prison sentence for contempt of court after she refused to reveal her hideaway address. During an unrelated civil case, a court ruled that she owed money to a former friend and asked for her address, but she withheld it. She had suffered 20 years of horrific abuse at the hands of her former partner and didn’t want to reveal to him where she was living.

Now she’s campaigning for the law change to keep domestic violence victims’ addresses secret in unrelated court proceedings. Eve also wants courts to flag up abuse victims’ personal information as “highly sensitive” and only to be released in exceptional circumstances.

With the support of leading Human Rights’ lawyer, David Malone, she drafted a briefing and presented it to the Ministry of Justice last month. Justice Minister Damian Green said he would consider her proposals, which have the support of 22 MPs who signed an Early Day Motion.

Eve said: “This common sense change in the law could help the victims of domestic violence I hear from every week. People working in the criminal justice system don’t seem to realise the seriousness of allowing violent people access to their victims’ addresses.

“I hope the Ministry of Justice move swiftly and bring in this change.”