Burnham announces specialist rape courts to be introduced across England and Wales

At least one courtroom in every Crown Court will be dedicated to handling these cases over the next two years, according to the Government.

Victims will also be given access to private entrances and waiting rooms, with the aim of keeping them separate from defendants.

While victims are already entitled to request these measures, but their availability currently depends on individual courts.

Court staff will receive specialist “trauma-informed training” when dealing with rape and sexual offence cases, while a single point of contact will be allocated to each survivor.

The changes are expected to cost the Ministry of Justice an estimated £23 million.

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Mr Burnham described the changes as an attempt to “rebalance the scales of justice and put victims first.”

As part of the announcement, the Government recognised Labour MP Charlotte Nichols’ “immense strength and bravery” and her role in raising awareness of the backlog, after she spoke publicly about being raped.

In March, Ms Nichols waived her automatic right to anonymity and delivered an emotional speech in the Commons, describing how she had waited more than 1,000 days for her case to go to court.

She said the changes announced on Monday were a “hugely important milestone” which would help improve the experience of those who are “all too often retraumatised by seeking justice.”

Ms Nichols added: “I’m proud that substantive meaningful change has come from waiving my anonymity to speak about my own experiences, and I can’t tell you how much the support of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor means to me, as I know the difference these measures would have made for me and for so many of the survivors I have worked with in recent years,”.

Labour promised in its 2024 manifesto to halve violence against women and girls within 10 years, and the latest Tmove is one of a number of Government measures aimed at tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Mr Burnham said: “For too long, victims of rape and serious sexual offences have felt let down by our justice system. Prosecution rates for rape remain shamefully low, with many victims waiting years for justice.

“This is not good enough. That’s why we are making major changes to rebalance the scales of justice and put victims first. This includes rolling out specialist courtrooms for rape and serious sex offences.

“These changes are long overdue and will make a significant difference, but focusing on prosecution alone will not be enough. So as well as ensuring victims get justice, we will step up action to prevent these horrific crimes from happening in the first place.”

Rape Crisis England and Wales called the decision a “significant step forward for our justice system”, saying it would kickstart many of the reforms the organisation has been pushing for over several years.

Chief executive Ciara Bergman said: “Taken together, they reflect the urgency of ensuring that courts are fit for purpose and properly meet the needs of victims and survivors, which is crucial to securing justice.”

The Conservatives have described reducing delays to criminal rape trials as “long overdue”.

They have also urged Labour to commit to axing plans to reduce jury trials, which were announced more broadly under Sir Keir Starmer’s government.

Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said: “The fact that victims have been withdrawing their cases because they have taken too long has been a disgrace.

“Labour need to get courts sitting throughout the year, end the delays and clear the backlog - not undermine our right to a trial by jury.”