Category: victims

Sex offence claims rise in wake of Savile scandal – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 1st, 2013 in child abuse, cross-examination, news, police, sexual offences, statistics, victims by sally

“Reports of sex offences overall, both historic and current, has also increased, with one police force seeing allegations almost double since last October, when the Savile affair first emerged.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 1st July 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

The Daily Telegraph have recently introduced a limited paywall. Users will be permitted to view 20 Daily Telegraph articles per month for free, after which they will need to pay a subscription fee to access content.

Fraud sentences could focus on harm – BBC News

Posted June 27th, 2013 in consultations, fraud, news, sentencing, victims by sally

“Sentences for some financial crimes in England and Wales could be based on the harm to victims, under new guidelines from the Sentencing Council.”

Full story

BBC News, 27th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Jeremy Forrest case: Twitter users could have broken the law – The Guardian

Posted June 26th, 2013 in anonymity, disclosure, internet, news, prosecutions, sexual offences, victims by sally

“Police are looking at tweets sent following the conviction of Jeremy Forrest to see whether those who identified his victim have broken the law.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

With the Met, if you are innocent you have everything to worry about – The Guardian

Posted June 26th, 2013 in intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, police, victims, whistleblowers by sally

“Peter Francis’s revelations show the need for a judicial inquiry – so the public can see how far our democracy has been eroded.”

Full story

The Guardian, 25th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina v L(C) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening); Same v N(HV) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening); Same v N(TH) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening); Same v T(HD) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening) – WLR Daily

Posted June 25th, 2013 in abuse of process, children, crime, human rights, law reports, trafficking in human beings, victims by sally

Regina v L(C) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening); Same v N(HV) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening); Same v N(TH) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening); Same v T(HD) (Children’s Commissioner for England and Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening)[2013] EWCA Crim 991; [2013] WLR (D) 249

“Where the question arose as to whether a defendant who had committed an offence was a victim of trafficking the prosecution was, and remained, responsible for deciding whether to prosecute or not. The court’s role was to protect the rights of a victim of trafficking by overseeing the decision of the prosecutor and refusing to countenance any prosecution which failed to acknowledge and address the victim’s subservient situation.”

WLR Daily, 21st June 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

New antisocial measures won’t work, says Government’s Victims’ Commissioner – The Independent

Posted June 24th, 2013 in ASBOs, complaints, news, police, victims by sally

“The woman appointed by David Cameron to represent victims of crime, whose husband was killed by a gang of youths, has criticised two key aspects of the Government’s new antisocial behaviour reforms.”

Full story

The Independent, 23rd June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court of appeal quashes the convictions of four victims of human trafficking and releases new guidelines to protect others – The Independent

Posted June 24th, 2013 in appeals, drug offences, judges, news, prosecutions, prostitution, trafficking in human beings, victims by sally

“Victims of the ‘vile’ offence of human trafficking who become involved in crime should have their cases dealt with by the justice system with the ‘greatest sensitivity’, leading judges said today.”

Full story

The Independent, 21st June 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bar pledges full support for CPS Advocate Panel extension to safeguard children involved in sexual offences – The Bar Council

Posted June 14th, 2013 in barristers, children, news, prosecutions, rape, sexual offences, victims by sally

“The Bar Council, the Circuit Leaders and the Criminal Bar Association have today announced their joint support for the extension of the Crown Prosecution Services’ (CPS) Advocate Panel’s rape remit to include sexual offences involving children.”

Full story

The Bar Council, 13th June 2013

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

CPS publishes guidelines on prosecutors’ approach to Child Sexual Abuse cases – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted June 13th, 2013 in codes of practice, consultations, Crown Prosecution Service, news, police, prosecutions, sexual offences, victims by sally

“Ground breaking new guidelines for prosecutors on how to tackle cases involving child sexual abuse have today been issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions and will take immediate effect. At the same time, the College of Policing has issued guidance for investigators and both documents are now open to a three month public consultation.”

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 11th June 2013

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

Victims to be spared from harrowing court cases – Ministry of Justice

Posted June 12th, 2013 in children, cross-examination, news, trials, victims by sally

“The most vulnerable victims are to be protected from the trauma of appearing in court, Justice Secretary Chris Grayling announced today.”

Full story

Ministry of Justice, 11th June 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-justice

Warning: CPS keep victim appeals in house – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted June 12th, 2013 in abuse of process, appeals, complaints, consultations, Crown Prosecution Service, judicial review, news, prosecutions, victims by sally

“There is a new independent Assessor (Stephen Shaw) for non-legal complaints made about the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) but not for the legal ones – how very odd! It was recently reported that victims of crime will be able to ‘win the right’ to appeal against decisions by the CPS not to charge suspects and there is a consultation which is open until the 5th of September 2013. It has a mnemonic ‘VRR’ which stands for a ‘Victim’s Right to Review’.”

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 12th June 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Four sex-abuse cases referred to police for reconsideration – BBC News

Posted June 12th, 2013 in child abuse, Crown Prosecution Service, news, pilot schemes, police, prosecutions, sexual offences, trials, victims by sally

“Police have been asked to reconsider their decision to drop four sex-abuse cases, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced.”

Full story

BBC News, 11th June 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Child sex abuse victims’ vulnerability must not be barrier to justice, says DPP – The Guardian

Posted June 11th, 2013 in child abuse, children, criminal justice, news, victims by sally

“Vulnerability among child sex abuse victims should no longer be a barrier to justice, the director of public prosecutions, Keir Starmer QC, has declared as he unveiled new guidelines for handling cases.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Vulnerable victims will no longer have to give evidence in court, Chris Grayling says – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 11th, 2013 in cross-examination, evidence, news, trials, victims, video recordings by sally

“Young and vulnerable victims of crimes should not be subjected to traumatic
cross-examinations in court, Chris Grayling has said.”

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 11th June 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

 

Crime victims allowed to challenge prosecutors – The Guardian

Posted June 5th, 2013 in bereavement, criminal justice, Crown Prosecution Service, news, prosecutions, victims by sally

“Victims are to be given new rights to challenge the Crown Prosecution Service’s decision not to charge a suspect or to drop a prosecution.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th June 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Breaking the taboo: One rape victim tells her story – BBC News

Posted June 3rd, 2013 in consent, evidence, news, prosecutions, rape, statistics, victims by sally

“It is estimated that 12,000 men and 85,000 women on average are raped in England and Wales every year, but it is not an issue that is talked about openly. One woman has waived her anonymity and bravely spoken about her story, from reporting the attack to bringing her rapist to justice.”

Full story

BBC News, 3rd May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

April Jones’s mother speaks of her anguish as Mark Bridger is jailed for life – The Guardian

Posted May 31st, 2013 in families, murder, news, sentencing, victims by sally

“A former abattoir worker and lifeguard who was found to have abducted and murdered April Jones began a whole-life prison term on Thursday, still refusing to say what he did with her body.”

Full story

The Guardian, 31st May 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Sex abuse victims thwarted by out-of-date law – BBC News

Posted May 28th, 2013 in child abuse, news, sexual offences, time limits, victims by sally

“An old law may stop women in England and Wales, who were groomed for sex as teenage girls before 2004, from bringing charges against the people who took advantage of them. The issue was highlighted when two women were told they could not press charges because they did not report the abuse to the police within 12 months of it happening.”

Full story

BBC News, 25th May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Rochdale Council leaders ‘let down’ groomed girls – BBC News

Posted May 28th, 2013 in local government, news, reports, sexual grooming, social services, victims by sally

“Former senior managers at Rochdale Borough Council did not do enough to stop the grooming and sexual abuse of children, a report has found.”

Full story

BBC News, 24th May 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Court is just as traumatic’: Girl who faced aggressive cross-examination aged nine says she has never recovered – The Independent

Posted May 28th, 2013 in children, cross-examination, news, victims, video recordings, witnesses by sally

“Barristers and campaigners call for pre-recorded court interviews as girl who faced aggressive cross-examination aged nine says she has never recovered from her ordeal.”

Full story

The Independent, 24th May 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk