Brîff 7 Munud - Cyfraith Clare Clare’s Law 7 Minute Briefing

1. BETH YDYW? 1. WHAT IS IT? Cyflwynwyd Cyfraith Clare, Cynllun Datgelu Cam-drin Domestig (DVDS) yn dilyn marwolaeth Clare Woods (1973- 2009) a oedd mewn perthynas gyda George Appleton ond nid oedd hi’n ymwybodol o’i hanes treisgar. Ar ôl i’r berthynas ddod i ben cafodd Clare ei dilyn gan Appleton, ac yna ei threisio a’i chrogi ganddo cyn iddo roi ei chorff ar dân, a chafodd ei chorff ei ddarganfod yn ei chartref yn Salford. Yn y cwest, dywedodd y Crwner: “...Dylid ystyried datgelu euogfarnau o’r fath a’u hamgylchiadau i ddioddefwyr posibl er mwyn iddynt wneud dewisiadau gwybodus am faterion sy’n effeithio ar eu diogelwch nhw a diogelwch eu plant.” Clare’s Law, the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme (DVDS) was introduced following the death of Clare Woods (1973- 2009) who was in a relationship with George Appleton but unaware of his violent history of abuse. When the relationship ended Clare was subjected stalked by Appleton, then raped and strangled by him before her body was set on fire and later discovered in her home in Salford. At the inquest, the coroner said:”… Consideration should be given to the disclosure of such convictions and their circumstances to potential victims in order that they can make informed choices about matters affecting their safety and that of their children.”

2. BETH YDYW ? 2. WHAT IS IT? Nod y Cynllun Datgelu Cam-drin Domestig ydi rhoi dull ffurfiol i unigolion a allai fod mewn perygl i wneud ymholiadau am unigolyn y maent mewn perthynas â nhw; er mwyn iddynt wneud penderfyniad gwybodus ynghylch parhau â’r berthynas. Mae DVDS yn gwella trefniadau blaenorol gan y byddai datgeliad yn digwydd mewn modd ymatebol pan fyddai asiantaethau yn derbyn gwybodaeth am droseddwr oedd â hanes treisgar. The aim of the DVDS is to give a person potentially at risk a formal means of making enquiries about an individual who they are in a relationship with; so they can make a more informed decision regarding their continued relationship. DVDS enhances previous arrangements whereby disclosure occurred in a reactive way when agencies received information about an offender with a violent history.

3. BETH YDYW? 3. WHAT IS IT? Mae’r fframwaith cyfreithiol yn galluogi’r Heddlu i rannu gwybodaeth at ddibenion plismona neu ar gyfer angen cymdeithasol o bwys. Mae’n rhaid i'r wybodaeth a rannir fod yn gymesur ac yn berthnasol. Yn yr achosion yma, mae budd y cyhoedd yn drech nag unrhyw achos posibl o dorri ar breifatrwydd. O dan ‘Hawl i Ofyn’, gall unigolyn wneud cais i’r heddlu am wybodaeth am ymddygiad treisgar blaenorol person. The legal framework allows the Police to share information in the interest of policing purposes or for pressing social need. The information sharing must be proportionate and relevant. In these cases, the public interest outweighs any potential breach of privacy. Under ‘Right to Ask’ individuals can apply to the police for information about a person’s previous violent behaviour.

4. CYDNABYDDIAETH 4. RECOGNITION Gall unrhyw un wneud cais o dan ‘Hawl i Ofyn’, nid teulu a ffrindiau yn unig – gan gynnwys gweithiwr proffesiynol. Cais Hawl i Ofyn ydi pan fo gan asiantaeth wybodaeth eisoes sydd yn dynodi risg. Gall aelod teulu neu ffrind wneud cais ar eu rhan hefyd, ond dim ond yr unigolyn sydd mewn perygl posibl fydd yn derbyn y wybodaeth, nid yr unigolyn a ofynnodd am y wybodaeth, oni bai eu bod yn ‘oedolyn priodol’. Ni fydd yr unigolyn mewn perygl yn cael gwybod pwy gyflwynodd y cais. O dan ‘Hawl i Ofyn’ disgwylir i asiantaethau sydd â gwybodaeth ystyried datgelu i ddiogelu dioddefwyr posibl rhag rhagor o drosedd. Anyone can make an application under Right to Ask, not just family members or friends – including a professional. The Right to Know application is when an agency has information already in their possession that indicates a risk. A family member or friend can also make an application on their behalf, but information will only be disclosed to the person potentially at risk, not the person who requests it unless they are acting as ‘appropriate adult’. The person at risk will not be told who made the application. Under ‘Right to Know’ agencies that come into possession of information can be expected to consider disclosure to safeguard potential victims from further crime.

5. MATERION ALLWEDDOL 5. KEY ISSUES Fel gweithiwr proffesiynol, gallwch ofyn am wybodaeth o dan ‘Hawl i Ofyn’. Os ydych chi’n gweithio gydag oedolyn neu berson ifanc sydd yn mynegi pryderon, gallwch eu hannog i ofyn am wybodaeth. Gallant wneud hynny yn unrhyw orsaf heddlu. Bydd angen iddynt roi gwybodaeth benodol, o leiaf: 1. Manylion llawn yr unigolyn sydd mewn perygl posibl, yr unigolyn dan sylw ac unrhyw blant. Gwneir penderfyniad ynghylch datgelu gwybodaeth mewn cyfarfod panel aml-asiantaeth. Cofiwch mai un o'r adegau mwyaf anodd neu beryglus ydi ar ôl i'r 'unigolyn sydd mewn perygl posibl' gael gwybodaeth ac yn penderfynu dod â'r berthynas i ben. As a professional, you can ask for information under ‘Right to Know’. If you are working with an adult or a young person who expresses concerns, you can encourage them to ask for information. They can do at any police station. They will need to give certain information, at least: 1. Full details of person potentially at risk, the subject and of any children. The decision to disclose will be made at a multi-agency panel meeting. Remember that potentially one of the most difficult or dangerous times is after the ‘person potentially at risk’ has been provided with information and decides to end the relationship.

6. SUT I YMATEB 6. HOW TO RESPOND Darperir cefnogaeth i’r bobl hynny gan yr heddlu a gwasanaethau cam- drin domestig arbenigol. Gan y gallai’r unigolyn fod mewn risg uchel o anaf difrifol neu ddynladdiad pan fyddant yn gwahanu, mae’n hanfodol eu bod yn cael cyngor gan wasanaethau priodol ynghylch cynllunio gwahaniad diogel o’r tramgwyddwr ac mae hefyd yn hanfodol eu bod yn cael cyngor cyfreithiol i amddiffyn eu hunain ac unrhyw blant, gan y gellir ystyried eu bod wedi "methu ag amddiffyn" eu plant os nad ydynt yn cymryd camau priodol unwaith y byddant yn derbyn y wybodaeth yma gan DVDS. Support is provided to those people by the police and specialist Domestic Violence services. As the person may be at high risk of serious injury or homicide at time of separation it is essential that they get advice from appropriate services re: planning a safe separation from the perpetrator and that it is also essential to access legal advice to protect themselves and any children, as they may be deemed to have “failed to protect” their children if they do not take appropriate steps once they have this information from the DVDS.

7. GWEITHREDU 7. ACTION I gael rhagor o wybodaeth ewch i: Cyngor y Llywodraeth: www.gov.uk Adnoddau Safe Lives www.safelives.org.uk Gwasanaethau Cymorth a Cham- drin Domestig SafeNet www.safenet.org.uk (Gall Safenet gyfeirio cleient i gael cyngor cyfreithiol am ddim) For more information visit: Government advice: www.gov.uk Safe Lives resource www.safelives.org.uk Safe Net Domestic Abuse & Support Services www. safenet.org.uk (Safenet can refer client for free legal advice)