Forty per cent more rape victims abandon cases as court delays worsen

27 November 2024, 05:31 | Updated: 27 November 2024, 09:46

By Charlotte Lynch

@charlotterlynch

The number of rape victims in England and Wales abandoning their cases rose by 40% in the first six months of this year, amid the growing courts backlog.

Analysis of data from the Crown Prosecution Service shows 147 rape complainants walked away from prosecutions between January and June, after a suspect was charged.

The Criminal Bar Association says it’s an increase of 41% compared to the same six months of 2023.

Victims have told of feeling re-traumatised because of lengthy court delays, with fears hundreds more trials will be postponed as part of cost cutting measures.

Chloe*, from Merseyside, reported being sexually assaulted in 2022. She's now facing a four year wait for the case to go to trial.

Read more: Court delays preventing rape victims from coming forward, says senior police commander

Read more: 'Trauma upon trauma': Rape victims ‘suicidal’ as cases take ‘more than eight years’ to get to court

Criminal barrister says government underfunding is responsible for long court delays

"It's horrendous, you're just constantly anxious and worried about when it's going to be", she told LBC.

"It feels like they just put it in the diary, box it off, and don't think about the impact on the people behind it".

Chloe is just 22-years-old, but says she doesn’t feel safe, because the man she reported is on bail until the 2026 trial date.

"It's indescribable", she said.

"You're always concerned about your whereabouts and where you're going to be. Even though I'm private on social media you never know what anyone can access on there, so you're always being careful.

"You don't feel safe in yourself or walking around in specific places, nobody realises you're constantly covering your back."

Jess Phillips MP condemns court delays as criminals walk free

Crown Court staff were ordered in October to cancel 404 sitting days across the rest of the financial year, which would have been presided over by part-time judges. 

It's prompted fears that hundreds more victims of crime will face delays.

Chair of the Criminal Bar Association, Mary Prior KC, told LBC "many" of the cases being adjourned concern violence towards women, and coercive and controlling behaviour.

"These are real people who just can't wait anymore, they simply don't have anything left to give. People are saying had they known what they would face, they simply wouldn't have rung the police in the first place", she said.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: “The new Government increased the number of Crown Court sitting days to a total of 106,500 – more than in six out of the last seven years.

“While we are bound by a challenging financial inheritance, this Government is committed to bearing down on the Crown Court backlog. On top of increasing sitting days, we are extending magistrates’ court sentencing powers from six to 12 months, freeing up to 2,000 days in the Crown Courts to handle the most serious cases, and recruiting more judges.”

*Chloe’s name has been changed to protect her identity

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said: “We see too many victims withdrawing support for a prosecution because of delays and because they don’t feel sufficiently supported – this is unacceptable.

“As we prosecute significantly more rape cases, we are working closely with criminal justice partners to ensure more cases are completed quicker.

“To better support victims we now have a named victim liaison officer in every CPS area working with Independent Sexual Violence Advisors to help navigate court proceedings and make the difficult process as comfortable as possible for victims.”