MEMBERS of the Swindon Soroptimist Club have been thanked for carrying out a three-month project observing domestic abuse cases in Swindon and Chippenham courts.

The project followed one that was started in Northumbria by Dame Vera Baird QC, who was concerned at treatment of victims in rape trials. Because the group was already known to him for its work on violence against women, it was approached by Frank Mullane, chief executive of Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse, to run a second scheme.

Now they have been thanked by police and crime commissioner Angus Macpherson, who said: “I very much look forward to reading the final report and working with my colleague Vera Baird to improve the experience of those suffering from domestic abuse."

The Swindon members were given two days of training on domestic abuse facts and figures and the court process by Olwen Kelly of Swindon Women’s Aid and Rachel Beale from the public protection unit.

Then, 10 of them attended Swindon and Chippenham courts every week for three months to watch cases and fill out a questionnaire on the treatment of victims. Their observations with be shared with the courts and the Crown Prosecution Service.