Concerns for a Perth woman’s safety have seen her flown home and placed in hiding by a West Australian government department at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars after her violent ex-partner was released on bail.
Chloe Wright spoke out about her experience earlier this month after her attacker, Guy Cramp, was released on bail in February despite pleading guilty to assaulting her.
Wright released confronting footage of her assault to WAtoday and 9News Perth in a bid to bring attention to Cramp’s release despite his extensive pattern of similar offending.
In the footage, captured by the CCTV cameras at Wright’s Stratton property, Cramp can be seen cradling the couple’s newborn son while he punches Wright and tries to smash her face into a pool fence.
Wright was left with a broken nose and fractured cheekbone, yet Cramp was freed on bail to complete a family violence program ahead of his sentencing.
Five weeks after his release, it is understood he has yet to start that program.
In the wake of his release, the Department of Communities, which had been assisting Wright and her children with support after the assault, paid for her to relocate from her home because they held fears for her safety.
Wright then flew overseas with her children hoping she would be safer out of the country.
Now it can be revealed the department funded Wright and her children’s flights back to Australia, paid for her stay in a hotel, arranged for a rental property and arranged for her furniture and belongings to be taken to her new home.
Wright is now planning to sell her Stratton home and will not return to Perth.
Opposition prevention of family and domestic violence spokeswoman Libby Mettam said the WA justice system was “broken, is failing victims – and this government has no answers”.
“How have we reached a point where offenders’ rights are put ahead of victims’ safety?” she said.
“The lengths Chloe has had to go to keep herself and her children safe – at significant cost to herself and taxpayers – is a stark example of a system that simply isn’t working.”
“Time and again, the system is prioritising the freedom of perpetrators over the safety of victims. That is completely unacceptable.”
“The fact the offender hasn’t even started the program that kept him out of jail shows just how out of touch this system is with community expectations.”
While the Department of Communities fell short of outlining the costs associated with Wright’s relocation, the figures are believed to run to over $30,000.
A spokesperson said the department offering financial support for victims of domestic violence was not unusual.
“Supports and services can include practical and financial assistance for women and children fleeing violence including emergency hotel accommodation, referral to services and refuges, and financial support for family essentials,” they said.
“Communities has provided appropriate supports to Ms Wright and her children.
“As this matter is subject to court proceedings and involves child protection supports, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”
Cramp was due to face a magistrates court trial two weeks ago over the alleged assault of two police officers in a separate incident to the one involving Wright. However, on the day the trial was due to start the 33-year-old allegedly did not turn up to court.
A warrant was issued for his arrest and WA Police said they were conducting inquiries into his whereabouts despite him wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet.
He later allegedly presented to the court and was charged with breaching his bail conditions.
His prior criminal history – that spans almost 15 years – is littered with bail breaches, ignored restraining orders, and a conviction for tampering with electronic monitoring equipment.
He also has a recorded history of breaching family violence restraining orders, suspended sentences and bail, aggravated robbery and unlawful damage convictions, and alleged prior violence against police and the public.
A Department of Justice spokesperson refused to state whether Cramp had completed the domestic violence offenders program that he was released on bail for.
“The Department of Justice does not disclose information about individuals subject to orders in the community,” they said.
Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence Minister Jessica Stojkovski said the safety of victim-survivors was the Cook government’s absolute priority.
“Bail decisions are a matter for the courts, however this government has strengthened the system to hold perpetrators to account,” she said.
“We have undertaken significant law reform to help keep the community safe including strengthening violence restraining order and firearms laws, introducing GPS tracking for high-risk offenders and progressing coercive control legislation.
“Importantly, this government is continuing to look at what more can be done to keep the community safe and hold perpetrators to account.”
Cramp will be sentenced for the assault on Wright on April 16.
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Hamish Hastie is WAtoday’s state political reporter and the winner of five WA Media Awards, including the 2023 Beck Prize for best political journalism.Connect via X or email.