Statistics Put Non-recent Abuse Cases In The Spotlight

Expert lawyers from Irwin Mitchell have said that new criminal prosecution figures highlight the need for survivors of non-recent abuse to be supported in their pursuit for justice and any reasons why the accused cannot stand trial to be fully explained. 

It has been revealed that more than 2,000 suspected criminals avoided prosecution in England and Wales last year because of their ill-health or age, figures have shown. 

The Crown Prosecution Service said 1,892 cases were dropped at court due to the "significant ill-health, elderliness or youth" of a defendant. Another 439 cases were abandoned before the suspect was charged.

In 2013 this figure was 1,714 and 1,402 in 2012 which shows a rise in recent years of cases that have seen prosecutions dropped. 

The figures have been released after a Freedom of Information Act request by the Press Association. Although they did not specify the nature of the suspected offences there has been an increase in non-recent abuse cases since the Jimmy Savile cover-up. Often with these cases they reach court many years after the alleged offence took place. 

The case of former Labour MP Lord Janner, who has dementia, made headlines after the CPS decided not to pursue non-recent child sex abuse claims against him. The decision was overturned following a review, and a fitness to plead hearing is due to take place on 7 December with Lord Janner denying all allegations.

A spokeswoman for the Code for Crown Prosecutors recognised that “the more serious the offence, the more likely it is that a prosecution is required, and the age or ill-health of a defendant will be taken into account when deciding whether to prosecute.” 

Earlier this week a Panorama programme raised further questions about the Jimmy Saville scandal with the BBC yet to publish a report three years in the making with the Metropolitan Police saying the findings could hamper investigations into on-going sexual abuse claims. 

Tracey Storey, a specialist abuse lawyer at law firm Irwin Mitchell says that justice and support is crucial for survivors of abuse.