Definitions 3

• Harassment

  a person causes alarm or distress by a course of conduct. The term harassment includes two or more offences or harassing a person, or harassment against more than one victim.
• Stalking

  Collective term to use a pattern of behaviour that is fixated, obsessional, unwanted, repeated.
• Critical Incident - College of Policing

  Any incident where the effectiveness of the police response is likely to have a significant impact on the confidence of the victim, their family and / or the community.
• Vulnerability - College of Policing 


  A person is vulnerable if, as a result of their situation or circumstances, they are unable to take care of or protect themselves, or others, from harm or exploitation.
• Domestic Abuse - S.1(2),(3),(4) & (5) Domestic Abuse Act 2021

  Behaviour by a person ("A") towards another person ("B") is "domestic abuse" if-

  a - A and B are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected, and (b) the behaviour is abusive.
• behaviour is "abusive" if it consists of any of the following-

  1. physical or sexual abuse
  2. violent or threatening conduct
  3. controlling or coercive behaviour
  4. economic abuse
  5. psychological abus
• "Economic abuse" means any behaviour that has a substantial adverse effect on B's ability to - (a) acquire, use or maintain money or other property, or (b) obtain goods and services

  A's behaviour may be behaviour "towards" B despite the fact that if it consists of conduct directed at another person (for example, B's child)
• Definiton of Relevance - CPIA 1996

  Material may be relevant to an investigation if it apperas that it has some bearing on any offence under investigation, or any person being investigated or on the surrounding circumstances of the case unless it is capable of having any impact on the case.
• Definition of an Interview - PACE Code C

  An interview is the questioning of a person regarding their involvement or suspected involvement in a criminal offence or offences which must be carried out under caution. Whenever a person is interviewed, they must be informed of the nature of the offence for further offences.
• Anti Social Behaviour - S.2(1) Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014

  1. conduct that has caused, or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person.
  2. conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to a person in relation to that person's occupation of residential premesis, or
  3. conduct capable of causing housing - related nuisance or annoyance to any person.
• Rape - S.1 Sexual Offences Act 2003

  A person (A) comitts and offence if -

  1. he intentionally penetrates the vagina, anus or mouth of another person (B) with his penis.
  2. B does not consent to the penetration, and
  3. A does not reasonably believe that B consents.