Sex crimes and domestic abuse now a fifth of CPS caseload

ALLEGED sex crimes and domestic abuse offences now account for one in five cases pursued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

They made up nearly 20 per cent of the organisation’s caseload in 2016-17 – compared with seven per cent a decade ago, new figures show.

The spike tallies with a sharp jump in reports of sexual abuse to police in the wake of investigations launched after the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Authorities are also carrying out increasing numbers of investigations involving the internet, including child sexual abuse, harassment and revenge pornography cases.

An in-depth report from the CPS details how more defendants than ever before are being prosecuted for sexual offences in England and Wales. The number of rape prosecutions completed rose from 4,643 in 2015-16 to a record 5,190 in 2016-17.

Prosecutions for sexual offences excluding rape also reached a new peak of 13,490.

The findings are outlined in the CPS’S 10th report on violence against women and girls. Cases where victims are men or boys are also covered by the analysis.

Alison Saunders, director of public prosecutions, said: “More offenders are being successfully prosecuted for sexual crimes than ever before, including those committed against children.”