Key facts
- Specialist courtrooms prioritizing rape and serious sexual offense cases will be introduced across England and Wales.
- New courtrooms will feature private entrances, waiting rooms, and facilities for recording evidence in advance.
- Rape and serious sexual offense trials will be given fixed dates to prevent delays.
- Multimillion-pound funding will equip every crown court with a specialized room within two years.
- £43 million over two years will fund survivor support services.
- A rape justice taskforce will be established to address trial delays and victim withdrawal.
Specialist courtrooms designed to prioritize cases of rape and other serious sexual offenses are set to be implemented throughout England and Wales. These changes, announced by the Ministry of Justice, aim to encourage more survivors to report crimes and improve their experience within the justice system. The new facilities will feature private entrances, waiting rooms, and advanced technology for recording evidence and observing sentencing remotely.
In addition to dedicated courtrooms, rape and serious sexual offense trials will be prioritized more broadly, with fixed dates replacing floating lists that often lead to significant delays. This initiative is backed by multimillion-pound funding intended to equip every crown court with at least one specialized room within two years. The government also announced £43 million over two years to support survivors through counseling, therapy, and outreach services.
Campaigners and victims have largely welcomed the move. Labour MP Charlotte Nichols, who waived her anonymity to speak about her own experience of waiting over three years for her rape case to be heard, expressed pride that substantive change has come from her advocacy. Ciara Bergman, chief executive of Rape Crisis England & Wales, stated that the measures reflect the urgency of ensuring courts are fit for purpose and meet victims' needs.
However, concerns persist regarding the overall backlog in the crown court system. Victims commissioner Claire Waxman warned that the backlog is now "significantly worse" than in 2021, potentially preventing many victims from accessing the new specialist courtrooms due to ongoing delays. The government also plans to establish a rape justice taskforce to address postponed trials and combat myths that lead victims to withdraw from cases. The Conservatives' shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, questioned the timing of these measures in light of Labour's proposed restrictions on jury trials.