Police officer moved to work with domestic violence victims despite probe into abusing partner
Exclusive: Abigail Barlow was accused of beating, kicking and strangling her partner Katie Barron, leaving her with black and bleeding eyes, a bruised neck and chest pain – but was not suspended for two years
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Your support makes all the difference.A police officer was moved departments to work with domestic violence victims despite being under criminal investigation for a “cruel” four-year campaign of abuse against her partner, The Independent can reveal.
Abigail Barlow was accused of beating, kicking and strangling Katie Barron, leaving her with black and bleeding eyes, a bruised neck and chest pain, according to a witness statement given in court.
At times, she would “scowl” and shout “Where’s your f****** evidence?”, the statement seen by The Independent claims, before reminding her victim she was a police officer. She also threatened to tell people Ms Barron was “mad, suicidal and not f****** stable” if she told anyone about the abuse.
Despite the severity of the allegations, the 32-year-old was not suspended by her own employer Greater Manchester Police while the investigation was ongoing. She was even moved from her response role to work on a unit which handles the most vulnerable domestic abuse victims.
Barlow continued working freely for more than two years after the allegations were made and was only put on restricted duties – stopping her from dealing with members of the public – after she admitted controlling and coercive behaviour in court.
Her ex-partner Ms Barron told The Independent: “It was the decision of Greater Manchester Police to move her there ... while they were fully aware of the investigation against her.
“It felt wrong that they allowed her the opportunity to work with victims of domestic abuse. It is not right that someone who was investigated and later convicted for these crimes was allowed to work on this unit.”
The revelation comes after a joint investigation between domestic abuse charity Refuge and The Independent revealed just 24 per cent of police investigated for domestic abuse, sexual assault, rape and abuse of position were suspended across England and Wales between May 2022 and May 2023.
Campaigners and policing top brass have backed Refuge’s campaign, which calls on the home secretary to change the rules urgently to make suspension mandatory while allegations of violence against women are investigated.
Have you been affected by something similar? Email alexander.butler@independent.co.uk in confidence
Ms Barron told The Independent she was left feeling “worthless” and suffered recurring nightmares as a result of the abuse. Her court statement reveals how Barlow monitored what she ate and controlled access to her children.
At one point, Barlow threatened Ms Barron by telling her social services would get involved and take her children away if she went to the police. She didn’t understand the process and the threat “scared the hell” out of her, she said.
Barlow pleaded guilty at Mold Magistrates’ Court to controlling and coercive behaviour towards Ms Barron over four years between June 2016 and October 2020. According to the court charge, Barlow used violence against her victim on four occasions.
She was sentenced to 26 weeks custody, suspended for two years. She also received 30 days rehabilitation, 200 hours unpaid work and a restraining order.
Greater Manchester Police was first informed about Barlow’s abusive behaviour by North Wales Police, who Ms Barron had complained to in October 2020.
The force said she was put under internal investigation in the same month, but it was later suspended due to the ongoing criminal investigation against her.
After this, she continued working as a response officer before being transferred to the Prisoner Processing Unit, which was formed in 2021 to focus on “violent offenders”, including suspected domestic violence perpetrators.
According to the force, the aim was to provide a team of “dedicated” officers responsible for obtaining the “best possible” evidence on suspects and “better outcomes” for victims.
Greater Manchester Police confirmed Barlow was moved to the unit but would not clarify to The Independent why she was moved or how long for.
Barlow was eventually served an official restriction notice, blocking her contact with the public, in December 2022 – after her conviction.
Documents seen by The Independent show the internal investigation against her resumed in December 2022 after she pleaded guilty. A month later, she resigned from the force.
In July 2023, a misconduct hearing found Barlow’s behaviour amounted to gross misconduct and she was banned from working as a police officer.
Ms Barron told The Independent: “There should be more responsibility by employers to remove suspects from active duties.
“You can’t trust professional standards to do their job when they are putting police officers under investigation into inappropriate units.”
Sign Refuge’s petition calling on Suella Braverman to enforce mandatory suspension of all potential abusers by clicking here.
Ellen Miller, interim chief executive officer of domestic abuse charity Refuge, told The Independent: “Refuge is calling for the immediate suspension of all police officers and staff accused of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG) pending investigation.
“It cannot be the case that officers are being investigated for domestic abuse and yet still able to come into contact with survivors such as in this atrocious case.
“Refuge demands suspended officers should be required to surrender their uniform and other police-issued equipment such as warrant cards, pocket notebooks, laptops, phones and ‘use of force’ equipment, and should have no access to police computer systems or operational policing premises whilst they are under investigation.
“This would ensure police officers and staff accused of violence against women and girls cannot use their position within the police to potentially continue to perpetrate violence and abuse.”
A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson told The Independent: “When employees are under investigation, the force takes steps – in line with the police conduct regulations to ensure that alleged misconduct or criminality can bear no impact on operations or those the force comes into contact with.
“In this case, PC Abigail Barlow was ultimately put on to restricted duties – requiring her to work within the confines of a police station, remain out of the evidence chain, and have no face-to-face contact with the public.”
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