The solicitor general has announced a national rollout of the Victims’ Right to Review scheme a year on from its launch.
Following a successful pilot launched in the West Midlands in June 2025, rape and sexual assault survivors across all of England and Wales will have the right to ask for their cases to be reviewed before a final decision to offer no evidence is made.
The Right to Review scheme will be rolled out to every Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) area across England and Wales from 13 July 2026.
It was previously expanded from the West Midlands into the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside, and Wales.
The national rollout means victims’ cases can be reviewed by a different prosecutor before any final decision is made, meaning the chance to continue proceedings is still available. If that prosecutor disagrees with the original decision, the case will continue.
The solicitor general, Ellie Reeves KC MP (pictured), said: “The Early Victims’ Right to Review rollout is a landmark moment. For the first time, victims of rape and serious sexual offences across all of England and Wales will have the opportunity to have their case reviewed, where eligible, giving them a second chance at justice and real control at the most critical point in their case.
“This government is determined to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, and ensuring victims are given fairness, dignity and a genuine voice in the justice system is central to that mission.”
Siobhan Blake, National CPS lead for rape and serious sexual offences, said: “For survivors of rape and sexual offences, the possibility their abuser may never face justice can be deeply distressing.
“Victims must have confidence that every decision is made with care and expertise. Our specialist prosecutors usually get it right first time, but when we don’t – and a case that could have continued is stopped – an apology alone cannot feel like justice.”
Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott said: “For many victims, the decision to end a case can feel final, leaving unanswered questions and few opportunities to challenge the outcome. My own experience showed me how devastating it can be when a review comes too late to make a difference, even when mistakes are later identified.
“This pilot recognises that victims deserve the opportunity to have decisions reconsidered before they become final. I am incredibly encouraged to see the CPS commit to rolling this pilot out nationally. It shows that when victims are given the opportunity to be heard, their experiences can help shape a fairer and more responsive justice system for others.”
The national rollout forms a central part of the government’s Violence Against Women and Girls strategy, which sets out its commitment to halve VAWG within a decade.
The victims’ commissioner Claire Waxman OBE said: “It is fantastic to see the CPS listening and responding to victims’ experiences, and my thanks go to Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott for tirelessly campaigning for this vital progress.”
Image credit: Eleanor Reeves ©House of Commons released under an Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) licence.
