Stalking Cases Surge Across England and Wales

Police in England and Wales recorded over 135,000 stalking offenses last year , a sharp rise compared with approximately 3,000 offenses a decade earlier. Officials and experts attributed the increase to stronger recognition of stalking by the public and police, alongside perpetrators using technology to monitor and pursue victims.

The rise is visible in major forces’ figures over the same ten-year period. The Metropolitan Police Force recorded 11,798 stalking offenses last year, up from 647 ten years prior. Greater Manchester Police reported 10,649 offenses, compared with 96 a decade earlier.

Prosecution data also showed an increase. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it charged 6,790 stalking offenses in 2024-25, the highest number on record. The CPS figure was described as more than double the number of charges from five years ago.

Experts said the digital environment has changed how stalking can be carried out, with technology enabling new forms of abuse. They pointed to reports from a specialist helpline in which nearly half of those who made contact said they were being stalked by an ex-partner.

In response to the changing nature of offending, the CPS launched a stalking action plan aimed at addressing stalking in the digital age. Separately, the Liberal Democrats called for emergency stalking protection notices, arguing they would give police the ability to intervene immediately.