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May12026

Valuable tips for parenting children through difficult topics are now available online

An impactful initiative that has been helping Devon parents and carers discuss difficult topics with children such as pornography, drugs and alcohol, relationships and mental health is now available for free online.

The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) has provided £100,000 to help expand successful programme Let’s Talk which has included launching a website this week so that everyone, regardless of where they live, can access its trusted guidance.

The website includes videos, articles and links to live events on a range of issue from online safety and pornography to healthy relationships and stronger families. The OPCC funding is also being used to run more live events and provide resources on issues such as the use of AI in indecent image sharing and child exploitation. The first of these live events is being held on Tuesday, May 5, and parents and carers can sign up by following the link on the Let’s Talk website.

Let’s Talk was set up five years ago after the South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnership identified the challenges young people were facing were changing so quickly that it was becoming increasingly difficult for parents and carers to keep up.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “It is a huge privilege to be able to provide funding for such a worthwhile project that will help parents navigate their children through different hard to talk about adolescence issues in today’s fast changing world.

“This work links to our wider disruptive approach to combating violence against women and girls.

“I would recommend any parent who wants advice on those really tricky subjects such as pornography, drugs and alcohol and relationships, to visit the Let’s Talk website where you will be taught the best way to approach it, armed with the facts you need to know, through a wide variety of free resources.”

So far, the Let’s Talk programme has had more than 9,600 engagements with parents and carers. A key focus for the coming year is to widen the appeal to dads and extended family. Currently only around 13 per cent of parents and carers taking part in Let’s Talk sessions are male. However, dads and male role models play a vital part in young people’s lives and are keen to be involved.

Rebecca Hewitt, chair of the South Devon and Dartmoor Community Safety Partnerships, has led the Let’s Talk initiative and said: “People often ask what the parents are doing, but it’s also about what we are doing to support parents. Often parents don’t understand the risks their young people are facing or are too frightened and don’t know where to start. Let’s Talk empowers parents and carers to support their children by ensuring they can access up-to-date, factual information and tips in a supportive and non-judgmental space.”

Rebecca – the 2025 winner of Combating Violence Against Women and Young Girls (VAWG) award at the West Country Women Awards, sponsored by the OPCC – was recently a guest on podcast series Your VIP (Your Voice in Policing), hosted by Commissioner Hernandez.

She spoke about the Let’s Talk programme and gave advice about how parents and carers can approach difficult topics with children of all ages.

Live Let’s Talk events taking place this month are:

Tuesday, May 5, at 7pm – Understanding your teenager Click here to book
Tuesday, May 12, at 7pm – Community Risks Click here to book
Tuesday, May 17, at 7pm – Family life Click here to book

To visit the Let’s Talk website, please click here Let’s Talk Safer Families

To listen to the podcast and the previous episodes, please click here.

May12026

Easily accessible support is available for all victims of crime

opccNews

To help people of all ages cope with the impact of being a victim or witness of crime, a dedicated website is available to enable them, as well as their families, get the tailored support they need.

Victim Care, a resource provided by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), is aimed at making the journey to seeking support easier as well as also providing essential information for victims and witnesses who find themselves having to navigate through the complex criminal justice system.

Across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the OPCC funds more than 40 wide ranging support services for adults and children regardless of whether the crime has been reported to the police or where and when it happened. In 2024/25, 32,977 victims were supported by those services.

Many of those were signposted to appropriate services by Devon & Cornwall Police Victim Care Unit (VCU), also funded by the OPCC. Among those services is Victim Support which has been recommissioned for a further two years to help victims of crime access independent and specialist support. The service is now also being offered to those age 16 and above, rather than just adults.

Last year, Victim Support helped more than 3,000 victims. The crimes they are subjected to can include assault, burglary, crime abroad, cybercrime and online fraud, low level risk domestic abuse, hate crime, criminal damage, rural crime and murder or manslaughter.

Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) are responsible for commissioning services to support victims, reduce reoffending and improve community safety.

Alison Hernandez, PCC for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “Providing timely and free support for victims has and will remain a significant priority in my Police and Crime Plan.

“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of crime to visit the Victim Care website to see what help is available and how to access it, either through Victim Support or the Devon & Cornwall Police Victim Care Unit.

Heather Welch, Victim Support Area Manager for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “It’s an honour to provide this vital service and we’re delighted it’s been expanded to include 16 and 17-year-olds so we can also help younger people navigate the physical and emotional challenges of crime and its aftermath.

“Crime affects everyone differently but can have long-lasting consequences and leave many victims feeling traumatised, angry, upset or frightened. Every victim deserves to feel safe, heard and supported, and our support staff are here to help anyone who needs us. For free, independent and confidential advice and support, regardless of when the crime happened or whether it’s been reported to the police, call us on 0300 303 0554 or visit www.victimsupport.org.uk.”

Victim Support provides support to help people make sense of how a crime has made them think feel and act and move forward with their lives, and can also signpost victims to other services, where appropriate. Support can be provided either on the phone, a video call and face to face.

Support is available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm with flexibility for weekend support if needed, along with access is its 24/7 national helpline.

If you have been affected by crime, please visit Devon and Cornwall – Victim Support or call 0808 1689 111.

Alternatively, to find out more about wider victim support available, visit the Victim Care Devon & Cornwall website at https://victimcare-dc.org/

Apr272026

Sentencing changes should focus on best interests of victims, witnesses and preventing reoffending

opccBlog

One of the most publicly contested parts of the criminal justice system is how offenders are punished and rehabilitated for their crimes. Outrage is often sparked when sentences are deemed too lenient or not reflective of the pain and suffering that has been caused not just to victims but also to their families and wider communities.

There has been decades of underfunding prisons both in staffing and buildings, and an obsession with secrecy and lack of local accountability.

Our prisons are appallingly overcrowded and courts have backlogs. That means it can take too long time before cases are heard which prolongs victims and their families suffering waiting to get justice. The only people benefiting from delays are the defendants, hoping victims and witnesses drop out – and they do.

Being sent to prison can give respite to those affected knowing they won’t see them again. Probation services are also being completely overstretched by ever increasing workloads with early releases from prison to cope with the overcrowding. We already know offenders often only serve half their sentence and now it’s even less that that with plans to aim for only a third.

Last month, major reforms to sentencing and releasing prisoners came into effect under the Sentencing Act 2026. One of the biggest changes is courts being required to stop handing out short term prison sentences of 12 months or less – apart from in specific or exceptional circumstances – for lesser offences. This is an afront to all of the efforts police make, such as with shoplifting, as most magistrates court will struggle to imprison some of our prolific offenders to give our communities some respite from crime, even if only temporary relief.

Judges now also have greater powers around suspended sentences because they can suspend them up to three years and can extend deferred sentences for longer from six months to 12 months.

Importantly, this does mean that more justice can be served by magistrates, who are people like you and me. Over the years I have spent time with them, they are stronger minded about justice and sentencing.

The overall aim of the changes this government is introducing is largely to ease overcrowding in prisons and focus more on rehabilitation within the community, dependent on the type and severity of the crime. This will be achieved through measures such as tagging, imposing restrictive zones, drug testing and restrictive conditions such as being prohibited from entering pubs, clubs and bars, but also means more work for the police and probation.

Reducing reoffending is an important aspect to stop more people becoming victims. This is why my office has led the nationally award-winning Prisoners Building Homes (PBH) which trains prisoners on day release in factories to help build modular homes, leaving with a job and money.

The biggest risk to reoffending is not having a home and job. Our reoffending rate is less than five per cent, while nationally most programmes are around 50 per cent.

Time and time again we see that criminality is frequently linked to issues such as addiction and mental health. It’s imperative the right support is in place to rehabilitate them back into society.

The Probation Service is undergoing a much-needed overhaul and modernisation with its budget being increased by up to £700 million over the next three years.

Changes will ensure probation appointment targets are met for offenders who pose the greatest risk of serious reoffending through Supervision Packages, and a big recruitment drive is underway.

A hugely important role of my office is hosting the Local Criminal Justice Board (LCJB) of which I am chairman. It brings together the senior leaders of the key agencies involved in the criminal justice system across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly to identify priorities, address issues and deliver agreed objectives to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the criminal justice system. It also gives the public a voice in the criminal justice system both locally and nationally.

The Devon and Cornwall LCJB have created an interactive, multimedia resource for victims of crime called Criminal Justice and You. It is the first of its kind in the country, and guides victims and witness through the criminal justice process, from reporting a crime to the outcome of a case, and what happens afterwards. Several other Police and Crime Commissioners are now replicating the resource in their own area.

In addition to this, the board hosts monthly Out of Court Resolutions (OoCR) scrutiny panel meetings to review a random sample of anonymised cases to ensure Devon & Cornwall Police is using them appropriately. Although the panel can’t alter decisions made, it can make recommendations for future learning and publishes its findings on my office’s website.

Police and Crime Commissioners, police, prosecution, courts, defence, judiciary all have a part to play to make the criminal justice system work. Last year I was honoured to be appointed a national role as co-lead for the criminal justice portfolio for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners.

I was recognised for the work I have done over the years to improve criminal justice, including the national rollout of PBH and scrutiny of potential two-tier policing following the riots. PBH was started here in Devon and Cornwall by my office in D&C and then supported by regional Police and Crime Commissioner’s through the South West Reducing Reoffending Partnership.

My focus remains on collaboration and influence to improve local justice and ensuring the best interests of victims and witnesses and those who want to stop offending is at the centre of my thinking in everything we do.

Apr232026

Tragic outcome of people carrying a knife is highlighted on anniversary of 32-year-old victim’s death

opccNews,Uncategorized

It is almost three years to the date when 32-year-old Michael Riddiough-Allen was fatally stabbed outside a nightclub in Bodmin. Since then, his family have dedicated their lives to educating people about knife crime in honour of his memory.

They set up charity Mike’s Trust in 2024 after discovering there was no specific support in the South West for families who had lost a loved one after being attacked with a knife. Mike’s sister Becky Dustan has bravely spoken out about the impact his death has had on their family in the lead up to his anniversary to help Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez raise awareness about the detrimental dangers of carrying a knife.

Speaking on the latest podcast episode of Your VIP: Your Voice in Policing – from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly – Becky recalled how Mike’s “harrowing” death on April 30, 2023, was caused by one stab wound to the abdomen causing him to bleed out “within minutes”.

She said: “We had a choice following Mike’s death and I think that’s a position that a lot of people find themselves in. You can kind of sink into the grief and the depression and the anger you feel about the unfairness of everything, or you can try and do something positive and try and move forwards and make change. We chose the second option.”

Initially, the aim of setting up Mike’s Trust was to support other people affected by knife crime. However, its focus has become knife crime prevention which includes giving talks in schools and colleges and to youth groups to help young people understand what knife crime is, why it occurs and the consequences not just to themselves but to the people they love and society as a whole.

Becky said: “The best way to prevent things from happening is through education and discussion. It’s about giving information to young people so that they don’t make those choices in the first place.”

She added: “Mike’s death is harrowing for us but it has hope because we can show others that even in the worst pain there is still a bit of light and there’s still a bit of positivity. And we do that through carrying on the work with the trust.”

Michael Riddiough-Allen

Becky said it had been an “incredible honour” to recently be invited to speak at the opening ceremony of a huge sculpture called the Knife Angel in Plymouth. It stands 27ft (8m) tall and is made from 100,000 surrendered and seized knives. It was installed between the Civic Centre and Guildhall throughout March and the visit was funded by the OPCC as part of efforts to prevent knife-related crime.

During the month, Becky also helped with engagement programs in the city, which included the trust giving talks to young people, and took part in the Your VIP podcast which was recorded on location by the Knife Angel sculpture.

She said: “As a victim of knife crime, it was a little triggering for me. It does hurt to look at it because I think about the amount of pain that is included in that statue. But what we’ve got to remember is not all those knives in that statue have been used to harm people.”

The Knife Angel in Plymouth

Giving a stark warning about carrying a knife, Becky said: “We shouldn’t be under this impression that everyone is carrying a knife and therefore we must do so to keep ourselves safe, because that’s simply not true. One of the myths that I so regularly hear from young people is, ‘well, how am I supposed to keep myself safe when someone else is carrying a weapon?’.

“We need to dispel these myths and we need to empower young people – and all people – to be able to make the right choices and also to report when they know someone is carrying a weapon and to be able to do the right thing to talk to people they trust so that we can reduce the amount of weapons on the street, and make it an open conversation.”

Becky’s future hope for Mike’s Trust is to employ people to reach out to more schools, colleges and communities. Commissioner Hernandez praised Becky and the trust for the great work it is carrying out and believes early prevention and education is key to tackling knife crime.

Becky with her brother Mike

She said: “The biggest difference we can make is parents having conversations with their children. There is a fantastic programme online called Let’s Talk that was established in South Devon.

“My office is helping fund it to try and get it across the whole of Devon and Cornwall. It’s a free online resource for parents and they will help parents have difficult conversations with their children, whether it’s about drugs, pornography, knife crime or how they can be safe online.”

According to the most recent Devon & Cornwall Police data, in the 12 months to January 2026, there were 3,007 incidents of recorded knife related crime. It is similar to the number of offences recorded in the previous year where 2,995 offences were recorded. The police estimate that one in 2,000 people in Devon and Cornwall carry a knife.

Commissioner Hernandez said: “One of the reasons why we have lower crime levels is because we’re very resilient. We don’t tolerate it in our communities and we do call it out often. But I think the complacency element that we’ve had is a factor.

“The wider harms of knife crime can never be underestimated, with incidents often linked to domestic abuse, alcohol related incidents, criminal exploitation and mental health or self-harm crises. It is imperative that we help educate people around these risks and provide the support they need before things escalate.”

The third anniversary of Mike’s death will be marked by Becky and family members meeting on the date and time at the location where he was fatally wounded and celebrating his life with a Rattler cider and a pasty. Also being held in his memory at a later date is annual free family event Mike’s Motor Mania will be held again on Sunday, July 26, at Spitfire Park in Perranporth from 11am to 3.30pm.

Your VIP – Your Voice in Policing is produced by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to give residents the opportunity to share their views directly with Commissioner Alison Hernandez and her office.

Visit https://www.buzzsprout.com/2597778/episodes/19044699 to listen to this episode and subscribe to the podcast on your preferred service. You can also watch the episode on YouTube here https://youtu.be/haTwoUwtX5w

If you know anyone who is carrying a knife, please take action in one of the following ways:

Report it to the police at dc.police.uk/tua

Knife surrender bins are permanently situated in local police stations across the region. Visit dc.police.uk/peo

Report anonymously to CrimeStoppers UK on 0800 555111

The #NotTheOne website can be found here

Apr202026

Victims urged to have their say to help shape future support

opccNews

Victims of crime in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are being urged to take part in a national, independent survey which will help shape victim services in the future to make sure people are getting the right support.

The Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman, has launched the 2026 Victims’ Survey. It is the only national, independent annual survey that gathers insights directly from victims across all crime types and stages of the justice process. These insights help the Victims’ Commissioner understand what’s working, where improvements are needed, and shape the recommendations she makes to improve outcomes for victims.

Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, said: “Supporting victims is a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan and is achieved through my office funding a wide range of more than 40 services. In 2024/25, 32,977 victims were supported by those services

“This year £8m has been allocated by my office to ensure more people can continue to receive timely and tailored free and independent support. It is important that we give victims a voice to ensure the support available is as good as it possibly can be.”

Claire Waxman, the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales, said: “I have launched my 2026 Victims’ Survey to hear directly from people affected by crime about their experiences of the criminal justice system. I recognise that these experiences can be difficult to revisit, and taking part is entirely your choice.

“If you feel able, your voice can help strengthen victims’ rights, improve support available, and encourage more understanding and consistent responses from criminal justice agencies. Your experience matters, and by sharing it, you can help us rebuild a justice system that delivers the treatment victims deserve.”

The anonymous survey takes around 15 minutes and is open to anyone aged 16 and above who has experienced or reported a crime since January 2021. The deadline for submissions is May 6.

To complete the survey, please click here – Victim Survey for England and Wales 2026 — TONIC

Apr202026

The life-changing power of restorative justice

opccBlog

Providing free and appropriate support for victims of crime is just one of the many responsibilities Police and Crime Commissioners are entrusted to deliver. I’m extremely proud to say that my office funds more than 40 fantastic different services to help victims cope and recover, including one that most people have never heard of – restorative justice (RJ).

The empowering process brings together the victim of a crime and the offender – if both parties are willing – to repair the harm caused and prevent reoffending. It might initially sound like a daunting concept but, according to national statistics, RJ can reduce offending by 27 per cent because it helps the offender understand the devastating impact their actions have caused. This is one of the ways that victims can take control of their recovery.

Last week I was invited, along with the Devon & Cornwall Police Chief Constable James Vaughan, to the Theatre Royal Plymouth to watch an award-winning play called Punch. Based on a true story, it not only portrays the life-changing damage that can be caused by one punch but also the power of RJ.

Punch tells the tragic story of how Nottingham teenager Jacob Dunne was jailed after causing the death of paramedic James Hodgkinson with just one blow. James’s parents were supported to reach out to Jacob through a RJ scheme in try and come to terms with their son’s heartbreaking death.

Through mediators, and after several months of letters, incredibly it was James’s parents who began supporting Jacob to make better choices and go back into education to turn his life around.

Eventually they reached a place where they could meet face-to-face. The outcome was Jacob leaving with a determination to do everything he could to prevent other parents from going through the trauma they had, and both parties becoming advocates of RJ.

RJ has proven time and time again to give victims closure and stop offenders doing it again which is why my office funds Make Amends, the only RJ service for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

One of the many people it has helped is Seth Marks and his mum Julie. Seth, who lives in Devon, had only recently turned 18 when the car he was a passenger in crashed causing him to be permanently paralysed. The vehicle was being driven by Seth’s friend who was under the influence of drink and drugs, and Seth was not wearing a seatbelt.

Now aged 21, Seth has become even better friends with the driver of the car and his mum has been able to forgive his friend thanks to having gone through the RJ process. They too have become incredible advocates of Make Amends and the difference RJ makes.

Julie was also among those who was invited by Devon’s new High Sheriff, Mark Ansell, to attend the performance of Punch.

The role of the modern-day High Sheriff – an independent and a non-political royal appointment – is to support the judiciary, emergency services, prison and probation services and various other agencies involved in crime.

During a High Sheriff’s year in office they can choose to highlight a theme linked to the criminal justice system. Mark has chosen RJ to raise awareness of what it is and educate as many people as possible about the great outcomes it can achieve. It is a very worthy cause because so many people are still unfamiliar with the concept which is why take-up is low nationally. I wish Mark good luck in his new role, one that has been carried out by no less than two other generations of his family – his father and grandfather.

I also look forward to working with him to promote RJ and hearing about more people it has helped. In 2024-25, Devon &Cornwall Police’s RJ Coordinator dealt with almost 900 enquiries and proactively contacted in excess of 1,000 victims. I am hoping those numbers will continue to increase.

It is crucial that all victims of crime know that they have a right to access RJ, but are also made aware it is a voluntary rather than compulsory process.

I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to former Devon High Sheriff Caroline Harlow who spent the criminal justice element of her year in office raising awareness of the harms of the gambling. Her passion for achieving change was unwavering and inspiring. Thanks to Caroline, changes are underway ensuring that her legacy as High Sheriff will continue to be felt for a long time to come.

My thanks also go to former Cornwall High Sheriff Geraint Richards for all he achieved during his term with Harriet Hills appointed to take over his reins. Geraint is a keen advocate for tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) and will be instrumental in helping my office develop the Male Ally Network (MAN). It is a bold pilot which is being launched in Cornwall and instead of expecting women to be the ones to change their behaviour, it will bring together boys and men to create a collective stance against VAWG.

He will be instrumental in helping my office develop the Male Ally Network (MAN), a bold pilot which is being launched in Cornwall which instead of expecting women to be the ones to change their behaviour, will bring together boys and men to create a collective stance against VAWG.

To access RJ, you can contact the Victim Care Unit of Devon and Cornwall Police via the contact details below.

Non-crime and self-referrals to explore RJ can be made by emailing makeamends@shekinah.co.uk or calling Make Amends on 01803 222033.

To find out more about Restorative Justice visit Criminal Justice and You, a multimedia resource for people affected by crime.

To access support online visit the Victim Care Devon & Cornwall website at https://victimcare-dc.org/

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