Tougher laws on domestic abuse will be introduced to the Manx parliament before the end of the year, Home Affairs Minister Bill Malarkey has pledged.

The Minister confirmed in Tynwald this week that his department planned to draw up legislation that will give the courts power to impose tougher sentences.

It follows widespread public condemnation after a man who carried out a violent attack on his girlfriend received only a suspended sentence.

Responding to a question from Kate Lord-Brennan MLC, Mr Malarkey said: ’The police and my department take domestic abuse very seriously.

’We are actively progressing legislation that will provide additional legal powers to the courts and law-enforcement agencies.’

He said the DHA planned to carry out a public consultation on two pieces of draft legislation before the summer recess and ’introduce the bills into the House of Keys before the end of this year’.

Mr Malarkey added: ’The relevant provisions in the bills are intended to include the following - domestic violence protection notices and orders and address the problem of coercive and controlling behaviour.

’My department is also examining the current UK consultation on this matter and also the sentencing guidelines in England.’

He said the department also worked with other bodies to combat domestic abuse through the development of a ’domestic abuse pathway’.

’This is intended to co-ordinate the activities of all agencies operating in the field of domestic abuse into holistic services which respond to a range of personal circumstances, bearing in mind the complex nature of this issue.’

Mr Malarkey confirmed the bills would cover coercive behaviour, financial and emotional abuse, as well as violence.

Mrs Lord-Brennan wanted to know whether the consultation would take account of the circumstances of people who might want to contribute.

’Are there any plans to perhaps handle this in a different way, in terms of consulting with people for input into the legislation and anything around that, just because of the practical issues involved and people who have been through such circumstances might not be forthcoming in the usual ways?’ she asked.

The Minister said he would take that concern on board.

’Certainly, within consultation, we have lots of third sector organisations who have actually come forward with confidential information,’ he said.

’They do share it with us.

’I think you are dead right that, in the consultation, we want to encourage as many people as possible, so to protect them would also be high in our priorities.’