A rape victim facing a six year wait for justice says the offence has been “effectively decriminalised” by court delays.
The professional woman, in her 30s, wrote to the judge after being informed her case was being postponed for a second time, delaying it into the sixth year since she originally reported the crime.
Entirely agreed that such delay ain’t right. But the 6 year delay has also been hanging over the head of the guy who may well – might well, could be mayne – innocent. And a 6 year delay in trial is rather making the process the punishment for him. It’s actually possible to argue – given the the numbers – that the delay is more of a punishment than speedy trial would be.
No, think on it. X allegations are made, y trials take place, z convictions. If x is large enough and z small enough (as common complaint about rape being that they are) then long delays in y would mean a greater burden of punishment over the population than speedy trials would. Sure, each year of awaitin’ the trial is less of a burden than serving time is, but again, have enough worrying about having to face the beak and total burden could be higher.
This is just another aspect of broken Britain. I think that cases where the accused is on remand prior to trial take precedence and consequently will leapfrog other cases where the accused is at liberty pending trial, hence the repeated postponements. Given the richness of our vibrant diversity there is a constant supply of offenders being introduced into the system and snarling up the machinery.
Six years! I thought the delay was about three. Perhaps the CPS reckons the chances of conviction are low, but are being leaned on by some activist organisation.
Rape is a difficult area to prosecute. Less who dunnit and more did it happen.
Meanwhile if the bloke wants to work in teaching or medicine, or apply for citizenship or possibly even a mortgage, he’s shit out of luck.
If it goes to court, a perpetrator has actually been found and nabbed at one stage. Else it would still be Under investigation..
If it takes so long to get to court, this means that this is not a rape-rape case, but one of those modern “rape” cases.
Where the whole lenghty “the process is the punishment” is a feature, not a bug.
How long is the waiting period to get your rights after a false accusation of a serious crime in the UK? I bet it’s even longer…
philip:
“Meanwhile if the bloke wants to work in teaching or medicine, or apply for citizenship or possibly even a mortgage, he’s shit out of luck.”
I’m not too bothered in the case of citizenship. In fact, there’s last year’s half-million immigrants who should all be accused.
She’s a victim. So, the trial has already happened then. That’s what “victim” means – a process has found that an accussation is true. So what’s she complaining about?