Seven Clarence Valley suspects on police radar

SEVEN high-risk domestic violence offenders from the Clarence Valley are likely to be among the first in the region to come under greater scrutiny.

SEVEN high-risk domestic violence offenders from the Clarence Valley are likely to be among the first in the region to come under greater scrutiny through new laws allowing authorities to actively target repeat offenders.

Coffs/Clarence crime manager Detective Inspector Darren Jameson said yesterday police were in the process of narrowing down the first group of local perpetrators for suspect target management plans as they were extended to the region.

Suspects in the Clarence Valley include three men from South Grafton, a 37-year-old from Upper Fine Flower, 41-year-old Grafton man, a 45 year-old from Maclean and a Yamba man, aged 46. 

The news comes after a pilot of suspect target management plans in St George was extended statewide on Wednesday.

It gives police a list of perpetrators who are on bail and deemed at risk of re-offending, then allows officers to monitor suspects and wait for them to commit another offence.

The crime need not be domestic violence related or particularly serious.

"The command has reviewed 14 nominations of high-risk domestic violence offenders to be considered for those management plans," he said.

"We would expect at this stage that all 14 are suitable candidates for the suspect target management plans and we will proceed with those over the next couple of days.

"These target management plans will be implemented to assist police to identify, moderate and target in on the offenders' behaviour.

"We expect in managing the behaviours of these domestic violence offenders, we will reduce the instance of re-offending and ultimately protect the victim in the long term."

Det Insp Jameson said seven of the offenders were based in the Coffs Harbour area and the remaining seven in Grafton and the Lower Clarence.

Originally published as Seven Clarence Valley suspects on police radar