Tag: England and Wales

Children at Risk Over Police Failures to Properly Investigate Abuse Images: Watchdog

Shocking police failures into online child sexual abuse investigations in England and Wales have been identified in a new watchdog report. His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) found children were being put more at risk as some forces took up to 18 months to act on evidence of abuse or…


Paedophiles in England and Wales Now Using Virtual Reality Technology, Says NSPCC

The use of virtual reality headsets by paedophiles in England and Wales has been documented for the first time, according to police data obtained by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC). The NSPCC obtained data through the Freedom of Information Act from police forces in England and Wales, and said…


Rape Juries More Likely to Convict Than Acquit in England and Wales, says Study

Persons accused of rape whose cases come to court and are heard by a jury are more likely to be convicted today than 15 years ago, an academic study by researchers at University College London (UCL) has concluded. The study found that the conviction rate for cases heard before a jury had risen from 55…


Lockdown Blamed as Knife Deaths in England and Wales Reaches Record Level

The number of deaths with a bladed instrument—mostly knives—in England and Wales was the highest since records began in 1946, with 282 people losing their lives between April 2021 and March 2022, according to a report by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The number of homicides using a knife or other sharp instrument went…


Police in England and Wales Have Failed to Solve 1,145,254 Thefts and Burglaries: Labour

Police forces in England and Wales were unable to solve 1,145,254 thefts and burglaries in the year ending in June 2022, according to an analysis by the Labour Party. The shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said domestic burglaries cost victims an average of £1,400 and helped to drive up insurance premiums for everyone. She told…


Pensioner Convicted in UK’s Oldest Double Jeopardy Case

A 75-year-old man, who was acquitted of murder at a trial in 1976, has finally been brought to justice after a jury found him guilty of raping and murdering a teenager. The murder of Jacqui Montgomery, 15, in Islington, north London, in June 1975 is believed to be the oldest double jeopardy case in Britain….


Stalking Campaigners Claim Police Letting Down Thousands of Victims in England and Wales

Campaigners against stalking have launched a so-called super-complaint against police forces in England and Wales, claiming there is a failure to identify offenders, investigate crimes properly, or protect victims. The National Stalking Consortium—which is made up of 21 organisations and individuals—pointed out only 5 percent of stalking cases in England and Wales lead to someone…


UK Barristers’ Strike Ends as Criminal Lawyers Accept New Government Offer

The barristers’ strike, which crippled courts in England and Wales, is over after the members of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) accepted the government’s new pay offer. The CBA announced on Twitter: “The Criminal Bar has voted to accept the proposal made by the government. With 57% voting to accept the offer made by Government,…


Jail Sentences for Child Cruelty Set to Be Raised Following UK Law Changes

Tougher sentences for those convicted of child cruelty in England and Wales are set to be introduced later this year. The Sentencing Council has recommended the starting term for the worst offences of causing or allowing a child to die should be increased from 14 years to 18 years (pdf). The increased sentences follow a…