Publication date:
The Public Prosecution Service today published its Statistical Bulletin: Cases Involving Sexual Offences 2023/24 which presents key statistics in relation to the prosecution of sexual offences, including caseloads and prosecutorial decisions. It also includes statistics on the outcomes of prosecutions at court involving these offences.
The Bulletin presents key statistics for the 2023/24 financial year (i.e.1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024) and includes comparisons with the 2022/23 financial year. It provides a statistical overview of all sexual offences, including an analysis of cases involving rape.
Acting Head of the PPS Serious Crime Unit Catherine Kierans said: “Sexual offences can cause long-lasting trauma and distress to victims and their loved ones. I want to pay tribute to the bravery of all victims and recognise how daunting it can be to speak out and report these offences to police.
“These cases also present challenges for the entire criminal justice system, including police, prosecutors, the judiciary, the courts and legislators. They often involve complex evidence and legal issues, including digital material which police and prosecutors have a duty to consider. They are less likely than other cases to result in a guilty plea, meaning victims often have to give evidence at a trial. The bar is high to obtain a conviction, and the prosecution must prove a defendant’s guilt beyond all reasonable doubt.
“We publish these statistics each year to be transparent and to contribute to wider discussions about how the criminal justice system handles these sensitive cases.
“Our specialist prosecutors in the PPS Serious Crime Unit are trained in dealing with these cases, and take a trauma-informed approach to victims. We are committed to effectively and sensitively dealing with every case of sexual offending we receive from police. We take decisions objectively and we want victims to feel treated with empathy and respect, whatever the outcome of their case,” she said.
Ms Kierans highlighted some of the broad findings in the report, including a significant reduction in the time taken for decisions to be taken on indictable (Crown Court) files involving sexual offences, and a modest increase in the prosecution rate for these offences.
“While we acknowledge that victims wait a considerable time for a decision, we are encouraged to see the timeliness figures are significantly lower than in the previous five years (median days for decision was 212 calendar days in 2023/24; 272 days in 2022/23; 274 days in 2021/22; 293 days in 2020/21; and 255 days in 2019/20). The reasons for this are complex but we believe some of it can be attributed to joint efforts and investment with police to improve file quality and streamline processes in serious sexual offences cases, to help ensure files are ready for decision when they reach prosecutors,” she said.
“In the past two years, we were also able to temporarily reallocate extra staff from other parts of the PPS for a period to take decisions on outstanding files that had built up following the Covid pandemic.
“We issued 1,857 prosecutorial decisions in respect of suspects in cases involving sexual offences in 2023/24. Like every public service, the PPS is under considerable resourcing pressure, but our small team of dedicated prosecutors and support staff in the Serious Crime Unit works as quickly as possible to take decisions, while ensuring every case is treated with the care it requires.”
Ms Kierans also outlined slight increases to prosecution and conviction rates for sexual offences.
“The Test for Prosecution was met in respect of 32.2% of decisions on cases involving sexual offences, which included 598 decisions for prosecution or diversion from the courts. This represents an increase from 2022/23 (27.3%). In Crown Court cases involving sexual offences, the overall conviction rate was 72.2% compared with 69.3% in 2022/23,” she said.
“While it is not the role of the PPS to seek a conviction at all costs, we are heartened to see these modest increases in these challenging cases. We hope victims, victim representative groups and the wider public will see it as a sign of our continued focus on these offences.”
Key findings
During the 2023/24 financial year:
- The PPS received a total of 1,615 files involving a sexual offence. This was a decrease of 13.1% on 2022/23 (1,858). There was a decrease of 7.2% in the number of files received involving an offence of rape, from 684 to 635.
- Files received included a total of 1,681 suspects, 650 of whom were charged or reported for rape (a decrease of 7.8% on 2022/23) and 1,031 were in respect of other sexual offences (a decrease of 16.2%).
- 1,857 prosecutorial decisions were issued by the PPS in respect of suspects in cases involving sexual offences. The Test for Prosecution was met in respect of 32.2% of decisions, which included 598 decisions for prosecution or diversion from the courts. At 32.2%, the percentage of decisions meeting the Test represents an increase from 2022/23 (27.3%).
- Of the 1,259 no prosecution decisions issued during 2023/24, the vast majority (99.2%) did not pass the evidential test. The remaining 0.8% did not pass the public interest test.
- Median days for the issue of indictable prosecution decisions (prosecution in the Crown Court) in cases involving sexual offences was 212 calendar days (272 days in 2022/23). Median days for summary prosecution decisions (prosecution in the Magistrates’ or Youth Courts) was 41 days (36 in 2022/23).
- A total of 270 defendants were dealt with in the Crown Court in cases involving sexual offences. The overall conviction rate was 72.2% compared with 69.3% in 2022/23. Eighty-six defendants were dealt with in the Crown Court for an offence of rape and fifty-four (62.8%) of these were convicted of at least one offence (i.e., any offence). Twenty-six defendants (30.2%) were convicted of an offence of rape.
- A total of 219 defendants were dealt with in the Magistrates’ and Youth Courts for a sexual offence during 2023/24. The overall conviction rate was 72.1% compared with 73.6% in 2022/23.
Ms Kierans said that the PPS continued to work with partners to improve how these cases are handled by the system.
“A joint strategy and action plan with the PSNI on the investigation and prosecution of serious sexual offences is progressing and we expect to launch this early next year. This will set out and inform best practice in the investigation and prosecution of sexual offences, with a focus on further reducing delay and improving victims’ experiences. We have also contributed to wider work in this area including the Executive Office’s Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls, she said.
“Our own Sexual Offences Policy sets out our approach to these cases, including how we take decisions and the assistance available for victims.”
Ms Kierans said that it was clear that more needed to be done across the system and wider society to effectively tackle sexual abuse and violence.
“We can only achieve deep-seated change through a long-term and intensive joint effort from all criminal justice partners and strategic investment by government in all parts of the criminal justice system. This includes recognition of the vital work done by victim representative groups to support and guide victims through the system.
“Finally, I want to speak directly to anyone who has been a victim of a sexual offence - you are not to blame for what has happened to you and the only person responsible is the perpetrator. Please speak to police who have dedicated officers who can help.
“We in the PPS carefully consider every case we receive from police and take decisions only in line with our legal Test for Prosecution. We will use the measures available to make your experience of the criminal justice system, including giving evidence, more comfortable. Our Victim and Witness Care Unit is a dedicated point of contact, and can refer you to specialist support organisations who can help.”
ENDS
Notes to editors
This summary should be read in conjunction with the explanatory notes (see Tables) and user information provided (see pages 14 - 15 of the Statistical Bulletin). Please also refer to the supporting document to this release Sexual Offences Classification (Offence Description and Legislation) available on the PPS website.
These are ‘Official Statistics’ as defined in Section 6 of the Statistics and Registration Services Act 2007. Statisticians from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency are on loan to the PPS and are responsible for ensuring that the statistics produced comply with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
The information presented in this bulletin is derived from the Case Management System, the main operational system within the PPS. This is a ‘live’ system with data being inputted on a daily basis.
The full bulletin may be viewed or downloaded by clicking the link. Any member of the public may comment on the report by contacting PPS as follows:
Statistics and Research
Policy and Information Unit
Public Prosecution Service
Belfast Chambers
93 Chichester Street
Belfast BT1 3JR
Tel: 02890 897100
Deaf / hard of hearing (SMS): 07795 675528
Email: info@ppsni.gov.uk
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