This is Clare Wood

In April 2007, Clare Wood met George Appleton on a dating website, and they embarked on a relationship together.  Unbeknownst to Clare, Appleton was a criminal with a severe history of violence against women.  Several months later Clare decided to end the relationship, but Appleton was furious and began to torment her at home.

Although she was interviewed by police several times, Clare’s pleas for help went unheeded and her burnt body was discovered at her home in Salford in February 2009. Appleton had raped Clare, and then strangled her to death before setting her body alight.

A police man-hunt for Appleton ensued, but after 5 days he was found hanged in a derelict pub, escaping justice.  After years of hard work, a group of campaigners including Clare’s father, politicians and journalists – successfully launched Clare’s Law, a renewed version of a national scheme that allows people to find out if their partners have a history of violence.

Clare’s Law - also know as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme- gives any member of the public the right to ask the police if their partner may pose a risk to them.

Under Clare’s Law, a member of the public can also make enquiries into the partner of a close friend or family member.

If you have concerns about the behaviour of a partner and want to find out if they have a history of violence so you can make an informed choice about the relationship, you can call Police on 101, go into your local Police Station or visit the Merseyside Police website HERE