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England and Wales to have specialist courts for rape cases
The reforms aim to cut delays after rape cases took 424 days on average to complete last year, officials said.
- Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced specialist courtrooms for rape and serious sexual offences will be established in every Crown Court in England and Wales over the next two years.
- Funding of around £23 million will support "trauma-informed training" for court staff and shift trials from "floating lists" to fixed dates starting next month, addressing delays that often cause survivors to withdraw cases.
- Labour MP Charlotte Nichols, who waited 1,088 days for her own trial, called the reforms a "hugely important milestone" reflecting her advocacy for a victim-focused justice system.
- Rape Crisis England and Wales welcomed the announcement as a "significant step forward for our justice system," with Chief Executive Ciara Bergman emphasizing courts must better meet survivor needs.
- Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy called the delay-tackling measures "long overdue" but criticized the government's separate plans to restrict jury trials, arguing backlogs should not undermine the right to trial by jury.
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Britain Creates Special Rape Courts as Victims Wait Over a Year for Justice
Rape victims in England and Wales now wait an average of 424 days just to get through the Crown Court system, a staggering backlog that has pushed the government to create dedicated courtrooms exclusively for sexual assault cases.
The new courts will allow victims to follow proceedings remotely and give evidence from a separate room via video link, the government says.
·Belgrade, Serbia
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Prime Minister Announces the Rollout of Rape Courts Across England and Wales as Part of Justice Reforms
Specialist courtrooms for rape and serious sexual offence cases will be introduced across England and Wales over two years, with reforms aimed at reducing delays and supporting victims.
·United Kingdom
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Total News Sources70
Leaning Left12Leaning Right11Center20Last UpdatedBias Distribution46% Center
Bias Distribution
- 46% of the sources are Center
46% Center
L 28%
C 46%
R 26%
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