PM urged to launch inquiry into falling rape prosecutions
THE Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales has called on the Prime Minister to urgently launch an independent inquiry after inspectors failed to explain why the number of rape cases brought to court by prosecutors had plummeted.
Dame Vera Baird criticised the
HM Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) report on the actions of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), claiming it lacked independence and a “determination to find the truth” and failed to listen to victims.
Her comments came after campaigners said they were “hugely disappointed” with the report, which described the fall in charges as of “serious concern” but claimed that the reasons for the reduction were “not straightforward”.
Dame Vera said: “Last week the Prime Minister promised to improve the criminal justice system and make it easier for victims to come forward.
“His manifesto commitment of an inquiry into the criminal justice system needs to be actioned urgently.
“Important aspects of such an inquiry, which this report lacks, would be its independence, its determination to find the truth and that it should listen to the experiences of victims.”
Dame Vera said the HMCPSI report “throws no light” on the disparity between reported rapes and successful prosecutions.
“CPS charges were the lowest ever recorded this year, yet the organisation’s own inspectorate is unable to tell victims why this should be,” she added.
“The huge majority of victims whose lives are shattered by rape and whose cases are never pursued to prosecution deserve answers.
“These people are not statistics to be put into an annex to a long-winded report which fails to get to the point. They are vulnerable people who have suffered a most damaging crime and who have been let down by the agencies tasked with delivering justice.”
Rape prosecutions in England and Wales have fallen to their lowest level since 2008, despite record numbers of allegations reported to police, with just 3.3% of all reported rapes ending in a conviction.