Rhyl strategic domestic abuse officer whose mum was murdered by stepdad 'stunned' to be recognised in Queen's Birthday Honours

Mike Taggart, Strategic Domestic Abuse Officer for North Wales Police, was just 15 when his mother Donna Crist was killed by his stepfather in 1997.

The 39-year-old, from Rhyl, joined the police in his 20s and In 2014, he specialised to become a tactical domestic abuse officer, covering the county of Denbighshire.

In 2018, he moved to his current role in 2018, a role his predecessors had fulfilled with policy writing, procedural change and quality assurance.

He tore up the job description and grabbed every opportunity afforded to deliver his message to the most vulnerable victims through widely varied means including: securing funding to create ‘Would You Make the Cut’ roadshow which focused on the hair and beauty industry, using the sanctuary of hair and beauty salons to reach out to and provide support to victims of domestic abuse; displaying the White Ribbon on all North Wales Police vehicles and 1,700 taxis across North Wales as part of a campaign and since the implementation of new stalking legislation in 2020, Mike has been instrumental in ensuring the safety of individual women in specific cases.

Mike, who has husband Garry, said: “I think my mum would be thrilled to bits and proud as punch.”

“It is bittersweet as it is being recognised for something but had mum still been here, would I have still done the same job?” Mike added.

“When you get the accolade you mostly want to share it with that person that you can’t.

Mike with his sister Becci and inset, mum Donna Marie Crist

“My sister [Becci] is our head lady in our family now and she is absolutely thrilled to bits and that would resonate with what mum felt as well.”

Talking about the moment he found out he had been appointed MBE and recognised for services to Victims of Domestic Abuse, Mike said: “I found out three weeks ago. I logged onto my computer to start work in the morning as we’d been been working from home. I did my normal routine - quick wash, brushed my teeth, logged on and then I was going through the email and there was one there and it just said ‘the Queen’s Birthday honours’.

“I just looked at it and thought...what!

“I opened it, and there was an attachment inside that read Mike Taggart MBE. There was the actual letter from the cabinet.

“My hands were literally just shaking.

“I just slumped back into my chair and that was it, I was just stunned - absolutely stunned.”

Mike described the recognition as “incredible”.

“When you are given some sort of credit for the work you do it is really lovely but when it is something you are extremely passionate about, it makes it even more incredible,” he said.

“Because it is so close to me and being able to work and do the job I do and having great colleagues who help me do it and bosses who have encouraged me to do things.

“It is just amazing. It is difficult to put into words.”

Mike has has been inundated with message of support since his MBE went public.

“The sort of things people have said, it makes me emotional,” Mike said.

“I have had people I have supported as well sending messages - that I’d ‘change their lives’ ‘I went the extra mile’... it is that validation that you are doing a great job.

“I’ve also had messages from when I’ve done the hairdressing sessions

“Somebody said I’d changed their whole confidence and outlook in one virtual conversation and that just threw me completely. How the heck can you have that much impact? You don’t realise.

“All the messages over the weekend have just totally totally floored me.

“It just shows the messages we are trying to get out there, they are getting heard and people are aware what is going on.

“I think the most important thing is highlighting to people that don’t even know they are being abused that they are.

“Making and raising awareness is what it is about. People think ‘I’ve never been abused, they have never hit me’. Well it doesn’t just come to that, it is physiological as well.

“It has just been incredible.”