COMPELLING victim stories, including from a young woman who tragically witnessed her mum be brutally shot dead by her stepdad, have been shared with Devon and Cornwall Police, to help improve policy and working practices within the constabulary.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, has welcomed the event and said how important it was that police listened to the experiences of victims.

To coincide with the 10th anniversary of its Victim Care Unit (VCU) - a free, specialist support service available to any victim, funded by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) – Devon and Cornwall Police has hosted its first dedicated Victim Focus Week which ran until Friday, May 2.

A focus on violence against women and girls was highlighted during a Lived Experience Day where victims shared their experiences of domestic abuse, stalking and sexual offences.

Georgia Gabriel-Hooper, who now lives in Devon, bravely recalled how six years ago, when she was just 14, her mum was murdered with a shotgun outside her home in Newport, Shropshire, in 2018.

Her husband, Andrew Hooper, who she had left 48 days prior and had been stalking her, then turned the unlicensed shotgun on himself but survived and was later found guilty of murder and ordered to serve a minimum of 31 years in prison.

Georgia now campaigns against domestic abuse and is hoping to become a police officer. During the Lived Experience Day, attended by police officers, partner agencies and victim survivors, she highlighted how domestic abuse is prevalent in all walks of life and reiterated a need to treat victims with respect and understanding.

She said: “The impact officers had on my life has changed the course of my life. I would not have coped as well without them supporting me.”

The experiences of Lisa Squire, the mother of 21-year rape and murder victim Libby, was also shared.

Since her death following a night out in Hull in 2019, Lisa has tirelessly campaigned to keep other women and girls safe and highlight how Libby’s killer had a series of prior non-contact sexual offences.

She is now backing Devon and Cornwall Police’s “It Does Matter” campaign which is encouraging women to report all non-contact sexual offences.

Lisa said: “If one person can change their behaviour or one life can be saved then we are winning.”

Impactful victim stories were also heard from a woman who was sexually abused as a child and bravely battled to bring her perpetrator to justice, and rape and sexual abuse victims who work for Devon and Cornwall Police.

A different perspective on the impact crime can have on victims was provided by 47-year-old Scott McCann who is employed as a community programmes coach and mentor with Plymouth-based Argyle Community Trust - the official charity for Plymouth Argyle Football Club - which receives funding from Devon and Cornwall’s Police Crime Commissioner.

Scott helps run a local youth inclusion programme for eight to 18-year-olds called Premier League Kicks which is aimed at cutting crime and anti-social behaviour in under deprived areas of Devon and Cornwall.

In his youth, Scott, who lives in Plymouth, began getting in trouble with the police after mixing with the wrong crowd and dabbling with drugs. On his 21st birthday, he was sentenced to four months in prison for chequebook fraud.

Around three years later he ended up back in prison after receiving a three-and-a-half-year sentence for injuring a man with a broken glass bottle following a late-night argument in a takeaway. During his stint in prison, Scott discovered a newfound passion for sport.

He said: “While I was in prison I worked in the gym and also with disability groups who would visit. That’s when I realised what I wanted to do with my life was to help people because I enjoyed seeing the rewards.”

Scott has now worked for Argyle Community Trust for seven years ago and has become a positive role model for young people.

He was recently presented with an English Football League (EFL) community heroes award for going above and beyond to help improve lives and give young people life-altering experiences across Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall.

He said: “By sharing my experiences with other people, I hope that I can show if I can do it anyone can. Even if just makes one person try and change it will have been worth it, and it will hopefully stop other people becoming victims.”

The Lived Experience Day also included a presentation giving an overview of more than 40 services commissioned by the OPCC to support victims and reduce offending.

Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Police Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “It is vital that the police listen to the experiences of victims to ensure every victim of crime receives the right support they not only deserve but are entitled to.

“It is also crucial to ensure efforts are made to reduce offending to prevent people from being victims and stop behaviours escalating to the point of devastating outcomes.”

The VCU provides free support to victims - regardless of whether a crime has been reported to the police or not. To make contact please click here or call 01392 475900.