“Prosecution rates for rape remain shamefully low, with many victims waiting years for justice,” said Burnham (Photo: Reuters).
As per data from UK’s ministry of justice, rape cases reaching the Crown Court took an average of 424 days to resolve last year, forcing many victims to abandon their cases before trial. This latest move follows an earlier announcement by Burnham this month confirming that every police force in England and Wales will have specialized rape and sexual offence investigation units in place by the end of 2027.
Every Crown Court in England and Wales will be equipped with at least one courtroom specifically designed to handle these cases within the next two years, with the goal of bringing more offenders to justice, according to the announcement. The British PM said reforms will see rape prosecutions given priority status, with cases assigned a fixed trial date rather than being left on floating lists. Announcement also includes plans for court personnel to receive specialised “trauma-informed training,” alongside a pilot scheme offering sexual offence victims a dedicated point of contact to guide them through the legal process.
Burnham emphasised that although the new court system is designed to deliver faster justice for victims, the government will also intensify efforts to stop these “horrific crimes from happening in the first place.