Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Prolonged Crown Court waits, particularly for sex cases, contribute to increased victim attrition.
Conclusion
MoJ acknowledges that long waits in the Crown Court are bad for everyone, including defendants, victims and the system as a whole.25 MoJ noted particular concern for victims of sex cases, which are very complex and often take a long time to conclude.26 In September 2024, there were 11,574 open sexual offence cases in the Crown Court, and 3,291 open adult rape cases.27 MoJ cited data that suggest victim attrition (where a victim withdraws from proceedings) has increased and is particularly high for adult rape cases, with 59% of victims dropping out pre–charge in June
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 16 May 2025. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗