A number of new developments concerning the prosecution of child abuse cases and the treatment of child and vulnerable witnesses have been announced:
- The CPS will now co-operate early with police in the investigation of child sexual abuse;
- All child sex abuse cases are to be dealt with by experienced specialist lawyers;
- Victims should not be deterred from seeking pre-trial therapy/counselling;
- Victims should be informed that others had made complaints against the defendant but only after the victim has given his/her account and no details of other complaints should be given to the victim/witness;
- A five-member panel will sit for the first time in July to review cases where a childhood sex abuse claim had been made but the case had been discontinued, and where the alleged perpetrator is still deemed to be dangerous;
- Defence advocates defending those accused of child sex abuse are to undergo compulsory strict training courses.
- The Lord Chief Justice and the Lord Chancellor have also announced a new pilot scheme which will be tested in Crown Court centres in Leeds, Liverpool and Kingston, which will focus upon the video recording of both examination and cross-examination of child and other vulnerable witnesses in the absence of both the defendant and jury.
It seems that over 33,000 child witnesses give evidence every year, though the CPS only prosecute 4–5,000 cases per annum, 75% of which result in conviction.
These announcements come in the same week as CEOP complain that 93% of all individuals caught viewing/downloading paedophilic online pornography are not arrested; last year there were 2,866 suspects and only 192 were detained by police.
If you are affected by any of these issues and would like legal advice, please contact us.
