Better protections for victims of serious sexual offences trialled at Hull Crown Court are being rolled out across the UK
The measure is now available at 26 Crown Courts, the Government say they'll be rolling it out nationwide by September
More victims of serious sexual offences will be spared the stress of being cross examined in court after new measures were trialled in Grimsby and Hull.
The government's going to allow 14 more crown courts to play pre-recorded interviews during trials to reduce trauma.
It's already helping victims in Grimsby and Hull avoid the stress of cross-examination.
Justice Minister Victoria Atkins told us the measures protect victims all the way through:
"We have conducted a forensic examination of each stage of the criminal justice system. So from the moment that a victim is able to report it to the police through to the court case and the treatment of the victim in court.
“This measure is a key part of our plan to overhaul the justice system’s response to rape - minimising stress for victims and helping them to provide the best possible evidence.
“Alongside this, we’re recruiting more independent sexual violence advisers, launching a new 24/7 helpline and improving collaboration between police and prosecutors to ensure victims get the support and justice they deserve.
“While there is still much more to do, convictions have increased by 15 percent over the last quarter and these measures will drive improvements further.”
The measure is also designed to maintain a defendant’s right to a fair trial and any decision to pre-record evidence is made by a judge on a case-by case basis.
Today’s update comes as the Government announces that Rape Crisis England and Wales (RCEW) will operate a new 24/7 helpline service – providing free telephone and online support to victims of rape and sexual violence at any time of the day. The service will be launched in June and will ensure help is available to victims whenever they need it.
From today, the measure will be available immediately at Crown Courts in Sheffield, Doncaster, Newcastle, Portsmouth, Southampton, Isle of Wight, Winchester, Bournemouth, Bristol, Exeter, Gloucester, Plymouth, Salisbury and Truro.
This extension means it is now available for victims of rape at 26 Crown Courts, with the Government committed to rolling it out nationwide by September.
The move follows the successful implementation for vulnerable victims, such as children or those who have limited mental capacity, to all Crown Courts in England and Wales – with more than 2,500 witnesses having already benefitted from the technology since August 2020.
Jayne Butler, CEO of Rape Crisis England & Wales, said:
“This service will be a vital support provision for victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse. We are pleased to be working with our partners at Rape Crisis South London and Welsh Women’s Aid to deliver a specialist, trauma-informed support service: one that puts survivor needs at its heart.
“The funding of this service is a welcome contribution to the Government’s commitment of increasing support for victims and survivors of rape and sexual assault.”
Both the helpline and the extension of pre-recorded evidence are key pledges within the Government’s Rape Review Action Plan. The plan sets out clear actions for the police, prosecutors and courts. These include a new approach to investigations, reducing the number of victims withdrawing from the process, increasing the volume of trials being heard, protecting the public and putting more rapists behind bars.
On the extension of pre-recorded evidence to Newcastle Crown Court, Elaine Langshaw, Chief Executive Officer of Newcastle Women’s Aid, said:
“We welcome this move and strongly believe it should be available in every Crown Court as soon as possible, to ensure every survivor or witness can expect the same service.
“Survivors and witness should be made to feel safe, protected and supported. In our experience survivors of sexual crimes are often reluctant to progress prosecutions as they cannot face further trauma in the courtroom.
“We feel if this barrier is removed it will encourage survivors to report to the police and to seek justice.”