The backlog of rape and sexual offence cases in England’s crown courts is “totally unacceptable,” according to the nation’s chief prosecutor, Stephen Parkinson.
The new Director of Public Prosecutions has made tackling these delays his “highest priority” as he launched a new survivor support programme aimed at addressing the challenges victims face.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr. Parkinson highlighted the profound impact of delays on victims. He said:
“I think it’s a huge problem. It affects the willingness of victims to support our cases. I’m afraid too often, defendants are taking advantage of the delays and just hoping that something will come up – in particular, that victims will withdraw. That’s why I think addressing delay and providing better support for victims are closely related.”
The new support programme targets survivors pursuing rape and serious sexual offence cases. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has hired 40 victim liaison officers to act as single points of contact between survivors and the CPS. These officers will conduct pre-trial meetings, either in-person or online, and collaborate with independent sexual violence advisers across the country to coordinate survivor support.
On average, adult survivors of rape face a staggering 710-day wait from the time they file a complaint to the conclusion of proceedings. Reflecting on his 20-year legal career, Mr. Parkinson shared how sitting with survivors during this protracted process showed him how “extremely stressful” it can be.
The scheme is part of an effort to make the CPS more “open and empathetic,” according to Charlotte Caulton-Scott, head of the organisation’s rape and serious sexual offences unit. She acknowledged past shortcomings in supporting survivors.
She emphasised that the programme was developed in collaboration with survivors. While charities supporting survivors have welcomed the initiative, some remain sceptical. Raffy Elliston, an independent sexual violence adviser from the charity Solace, called the move a step in the right direction but cautioned that it may not go far enough.
“One of the things we’re worried about is that there’s such a big backlog,” Ms. Elliston told Sky News. She urged more sweeping changes, such as creating specialist courts, hiring additional judges and counsel, and banning last-minute adjournments, which she described as particularly harmful to survivors.
The Criminal Bar Association has warned that the backlog of criminal cases could reach 80,000 by March 2025.
