Jacqui Durkin

A new report from Criminal Justice Inspectorate Northern Ireland (CJINI) highlights improvements in the way sexual violence and abuse cases are handled by the criminal justice system, but stresses that more needs to be done to deliver better outcomes.

Of the nine recommendations made in the Without Witness inspection report in 2018, only two have been fully achieved, according to the follow-up review published yesterday.

Four recommendations have been partially achieved, while three have been assessed as “not achieved”.

Chief inspector Jacqui Durkin said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has unfortunately stalled or delayed action in relation to some inspection recommendations and has created a backlog and further delays in a criminal justice system where victims of sexual offences may have to wait two or three years for a trial to commence.

“I know in the recent years there have been many recommendations on how our criminal justice system deals with and how our wider community needs to respond to sexual offences and abuse.

“I am also acutely aware of the challenges the last year has brought for all of us but as criminal justice organisations seek to recover and restore, it is important work continues to fully implement all the inspection recommendations they have accepted.

“This includes those recommendations still to be progressed, so vulnerable victims and witnesses also affected by the Covid-19 lockdown, and those who have yet to report sexual crimes, benefit from improvements aimed at addressing the specific issues identified in the Without Witness inspection.”