Sex offences review scheme expanded after trials

Victims of rape and sexual assault who face having their cases dropped will have the right to ask for a review before a final decision is made.

The early victims' right to review (VRR) will be expanded across the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in England and Wales after successful pilot schemes.

The move means victims of sexual offences will be able to challenge proposals to halt a prosecution, by asking a different prosecutor to review material before an irreversible decision to offer no evidence is made.

The scheme was first trialled a year ago in the West Midlands and then expanded into three more areas, including the North West, Yorkshire and Humberside, and Cymru-Wales.

Under the previous system, criminal cases could be stopped if a prosecutor decided there was not a realistic prospect of conviction.

Previously, before the early VRR system, the only outcome of a successful review could be an explanation and an apology.

Solicitor General Ellie Reeves, deputy to the attorney general, called the move a "landmark moment".

"Violence against women and girls is my top priority, and the early victims' right to review rollout is a landmark moment," she added.

"This government is determined to halve violence against women and girls within a decade and ensuring victims are given fairness, dignity and a genuine voice in the justice system is central to that mission."

Campaigner Jade Blue McCrossen-Nethercott, who successfully sued the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after her rape case was dropped, echoed that this was a "landmark moment for victims and survivors".

"For many victims, the decision to end a case can feel final, leaving unanswered questions and few opportunities to challenge the outcome," she said.

"My own experience showed me how devastating it can be when a review comes too late to make a difference, even when mistakes are later identified."

Siobhan Blake, the CPS' lead for rape and serious sexual offences, said two cases had continued as a result of reviews through pilot scheme.

"Our specialist prosecutors usually get it right first time, but when we don't – and a case that could have continued is stopped – an apology alone cannot feel like justice," she said.

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