Rape prosecutions

SIR – Your report “Prosecutors told to dig into accused rapists’ past” (August 9) states incorrectly that evidence of previous troubling behaviour by defendants will in future be used routinely in the prosecution in rape cases. There is no such intent. Your report appears to conflate our proposed approach to two quite different forms of sexual offending.

Yes, where an offence takes place in the context of a relationship, it is appropriate for investigators to look at longer-term patterns of behaviour which may add weight to the prosecution case. This was given a legal basis, in relation to domestic abuse, when section 76 of the Serious Crime Act came into law in 2015.

There is no intention on the part of the Crown Prosecution Service to apply this to all rape cases. Rather, we intend to make better use of evidence such as CCTV, social media posts and witness statements to ensure we know everything possible about alleged rapes involving victims affected by alcohol or drugs. That is a very different thing and would focus only on the period around the attack.

As always, if there is similar offending or behaviour in the past we may seek to use this under the bad-character provisions.

We will shortly be publishing our annual Violence Against Women and Girls report which will confirm another large rise in rape prosecutions and convictions. Alison Saunders

Director of Public Prosecutions London SE1