Plain-clothes officers to patrol bars and clubs to protect women as part of new strategy ‘Project Vigilance’

Plain-clothes police officers could patrol nightclubs and bars in efforts to help protect women from predatory offenders. Other efforts include £25m for better lighting and CCTV, and come after hundreds of people protested in central London on Monday, following the murder of Sarah Everard.

Senior Government officials, including Home Secretary Priti Patel, gathered in Downing Street for a meeting of the Criminal Justice Taskforce.

The meeting was chaired by Prime Minister, Boris Johnson who said the “horrific case” had “unleashed a wave of feeling about women not feeling safe at night”.

The prime minister declared: “We must do everything we can to ensure our streets are safe, and we are bringing in landmark legislation to toughen sentences and put more police on our streets.

“We are also now taking further steps to provide greater reassurance, such as providing better lighting and greater use of CCTV in parks and routes women may take on their walks home.

“Ultimately, we must drive out violence against women and girls and make every part of the criminal justice system work to better protect and defend them.”

The government has stated it will double its Safer Streets fund to £45m. Ministers will work with police forces and police and crime commissioners to make sure these are targeted at areas of potential concern for women.