Kate Chanter and Bethan Cowlam analyse the Government’s ‘Rape Review Report’ in an article for Solicitors Journal.
Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk KC MP said the Report, ‘shows more rapists being brought to trial, with the number of adult prosecutions higher than in 2020, and sentences up by around a third.’ However the purpose of the Report was to instil confidence in those who report sexual offences, and so the absence of defendants’ rights was not surprising. Whilst many of the headlines sounded appealing, a close look at the reality and consequences shows things are not as they seem. Kate Chanter and Beth Cowlam take a deep dive into a number of the ‘actions’ to be taken as part of the Report, ask whether Mr Chalk’s praise is justified and find that it is not.
This article was first published in Solicitors Journal on 25 April 2024; to read the full article please click here.
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