Oxford’s Deputy Lord Mayor Sajjad Malik appeared in court on Tuesday and was handed a 28-day domestic violence protection order. The Labour Party has suspended him indefinitely.

What is a domestic violence protection order (DVPO)?

DVPOs were first introduced in England and Wales in March 2014. It is given to a ‘perpetrator’ after police have attended a domestic abuse incident and issued by officers.

They can prevent perpetrators from returning to a home and having contact with the victim for up to 28 days.

What has happened in this case?

Court papers show Sajjad Malik was given the order on Saturday and appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday morning.

The 50-year-old must not contact two people and a string of conditions have been attached which he must abide by for 28 days.

They include not threatening the two people with violence or the use of violence. He must also not behave in a way that would cause any other person that violence would be used towards those two people.

He must also not go within 50 metres of his home address in Emperor Gardens in Greater Leys.

READ MORE: Oxford Deputy Lord Mayor suspended because of domestic violence

Will he still be able to drive taxis in Oxford?

Malik is a taxi driver and his licence is permitted by Oxford City Council. A council spokesman said there will be no ‘automatic withdrawal’ of Malik’s licence.

What will happen to Malik’s place on Oxford City Council?

It is expected there will be calls for his resignation, both from the Deputy Lord Mayor post and as a city councillor for Cowley Marsh.  

But despite Labour’s shock over the DVPO being handed out, there is little the party or his other councillors can do to force him to quit. Ultimately, the decision will be his.