NORTH Wales Police has received more than 2,500 reports of stalking incidents since 2015, according to data.

The figures were made public after the BBC Shared Data Unit carried out an investigation into the use of Stalking Protection Orders (SPOs) by police in England and Wales.

SPOs are a new civil power available to police which impose restrictions on suspected stalkers.

But data shows the use of SPOs, which have been available to police forces in England and Wales since January 2020, varies widely from force to force, with four failing to apply for a single order in the past fifteen months.

In Wales, only two orders were granted despite more than 4,000 stalking incidents recorded in the same period.Meanwhile national crime outcomes data shows the number of stalking incidents recorded by police has surged since 2019.

The latest figures show 59,950 incidents were recorded across England and Wales in the nine months between April and December 2020 - almost double the annual number of incidents for the year ending March 2020.

According to the figures, up until December 30 last year, only one SPO had been applied for and approved in North Wales.

Freedom of Information data shows that North Wales Police has received increasing numbers of stalking reports, with:

-22 in 2015

-33 in 2016/17

-86 in 2017/18

331 in 2018/19

829 in 2019/20

-1270 from April to December 2020

Speaking about the figures nationally, Lisa King - communications director at domestic violence charity Refuge- said the uneven spread of police forces using the measure was “an absolute postcode lottery” and described it as “really disappointing.”

She said: “The stalking orders haven’t been in play for that long. The police should have had training during that time to understand how to use those stalking protection orders that are so needed by women, to protect them.

“The legislation is there, it’s no good passing the legislation and then letting it become a dusty piece of paper. It needs to become meaningful.

“It’s important to remember that the vast majority of stalking or domestic abuse incidents never get reported to the police - only ever around 20 per cent.

“So the figures really are the tip of an iceberg.

“This really should be a wakeup call for police forces across the country to get the training in place, and then start to message also that these orders are there, that women and men can use, so that they are taken up and protection is given.”

North Wales Police Strategic Domestic Abuse Officer Mike Taggart MBE said: "We accept how traumatic the offence of stalking is, and we are working hard with partner agencies to support our victims.

"SPO’s are a valuable tool to protect victims from further harm and reduce recidivism in offenders. "Training is currently being delivered to all front line staff to improve the utilisation of SPOs and North Wales Police is currently establishing a Multi-Agency Stalking Interventions Programme (MASIP) that will support the effectiveness of SPOs.

"Whilst the number of SPOs remains low North Wales Police continue to effectively safeguard victims through the use of restraining orders, DVPO and non-molestation orders.

"The way stalking offences are recorded changed in 2019, which accounts for the prolific rise in the figures."