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An alleged victim of historic sex abuse faces a long wait for justice Criminal court backlog His case was adjourned for two years.
The man from the West Midlands, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said he reported the alleged crime in July 2018, nearly 40 years after it occurred.
He said West Mercia Police then spent two years interviewing the alleged perpetrators and the Crown Prosecution Service did not lay charges until April 2024.
The case was heard by a judge in the region in July.
However, upon arriving in court to begin the trial, the judge adjourned the case until July 2027, nine years after the complainant made his report.
He is one of thousands affected Criminal court backlogthe government said it hopes to reduce by measures including Plan to limit jury trials.
The complainant stated that he was dissatisfied with the long wait after being prepared for the proceedings.
“I’m just speechless. I’m stunned… it’s incomprehensible that this has happened for so long,” he said.
“A few weeks ago [the trial]I wasn’t working, I just didn’t have enough time to do anything else. I don’t have room for it all.
“Then were told on Monday, which was Tuesday, then Wednesday, then Wednesday victim support called to say the last court case was taking too long and had been put on hold until 2027.
“I said ‘Why am I not next?’ Well, it doesn’t work that way. So throughout the system, victims of historic sexual abuse in particular have been pushed down, pushed back, and that’s before you get into the court process, which also pushes you back.”
Statistics recently released by the Ministry of Justice show that the backlog of court cases increased by 9% year-on-year to 79,619 cases.
The number of outstanding cases has been at a growing high since early 2023, with COVID-19-affected cases experiencing longer waiting times.
However, a shortage of criminal lawyers, a historic reduction in court hours and the closure of the Crown Courts over the past 15 years have also had a large impact.
The government predicts that the backlog could reach 100,000 items by 2028.
This led Justice Secretary David Lammy to announce sweeping reforms, including the abolition of juries in a number of trials in England and Wales.
The ability to automatically appeal a Magistrates Court decision to the Crown Court was also abolished.
The alleged victim said he supports the government’s proposal to limit jury trials because he believes it could lead to more consistent verdicts.
However, he said his biggest concern is getting through court.
“I want justice, I know what happened and other people know what happened,” he said.
Regarding the backlog, he said: “You just wonder what the hell we’re doing. They’re messing up people’s lives. They always blame it on COVID or something like that, but now there’s a lot of delays on top of COVID.”
North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan said: “The huge backlog in our courts is preventing victims from getting the justice they deserve and I have heard from countless constituents about the serious impact of delays in the courts.
“These long waits erode public confidence in the criminal justice system and allow too many criminals to go free.
“It also means victims and witnesses can withdraw from proceedings, or their memories of evidence fade over time.
“It also affects the mental health of victims as well as defendants awaiting trial.
“The Government needs to invest in and modernize our courts system to tackle the backlog and reduce the number of people on remand.”
A spokesman for the Ministry of Justice said their thoughts were with the complainant, who “like so many people, faces an unacceptably long wait for justice”.
They added: “That’s why the government is combining bold reforms, extra investment and tackling inefficiencies to tackle the massive backlog in the courts so victims get the justice they deserve more quickly.”
A spokesman for West Mercia Police said: “As court proceedings are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment on this specific case.
“However, rape and serious sexual offenses are among the most complex and sensitive cases investigated by police and we remain absolutely committed to delivering justice for the victims.”
The case continues.