Police have obtained the first Violent Offender Order in West Yorkshire to help protect a Bradford woman from being contacted by a man who attacked her.

The order, used to protect vulnerable victims from potential further violent abuse, comes into effect on Friday when the man, aged 42, is released from prison following a four-year sentence for the attack.

Any breach without reasonable excuse could see him face trial and up to a further five years in prison if found guilty.

The order was obtained by officers in Bradford South’s Safeguarding Unit and police have hailed the legislation as a valuable new tool in providing lasting protection for those felt to be at risk.

Under the terms of the order, the man, who has not been named by police, will have to adhere to a number of strict conditions imposed by the court and register his address within three days of his release.

He has previously been released on licence in 2008 but was the subject of an emergency recall to prison after failing to return to the hostel in which he was residing and making contact with his victim, breaching the terms of his licence.

PC Nichola Greenwood, of the Bradford Safeguarding Unit, said: “This will be the first high-profile Violent Offender Order to be secured in the West Yorkshire area and it shows that both we as a unit and West Yorkshire Police take a positive stance on protecting our victims of domestic abuse. This new legislation allows us to place restrictions on high-risk perpetrators of domestic abuse who would in the past have just been released without any control of conditions who could possible cause harm to members of the public.”

Superintendent Angela Williams, the deputy commander of Bradford South Police, said the new orders would be particularly helpful in protecting victims of domestic violence.

She said: “The orders provide us with a valuable new power to help protect the victims of domestic violence who could be a threat of renewed abuse and we are very pleased to have been able to secure this first one.

“As police officers we have a duty of care to those at risk in our community and this power helps us provide an extra level of reassurance and protection for a victim.”