It takes an average of 630 days for sexual offences cases to conclude, new figures show

Claire Sugden MLA has warned that victims of sexual offences are being failed by unacceptably long delays in Northern Ireland’s courts, after new figures revealed it takes an average of 630 days for these cases to conclude, which is almost two years.

“This is deeply damaging for survivors,” the East Derry MLA said.

“Behind every case is a person who has suffered trauma. To ask them to wait nearly two years for justice, and often to endure repeated postponements, is to re-victimise them. It undermines confidence in the justice system and can discourage survivors from seeing their cases through.”

Ms Sugden said the backlog is being driven by a combination of post pandemic pressures, under resourced courts, rising case complexity and poor case scheduling.

“Campaigners are clear on what needs to change,” she said.

“We must prioritise sexual offence cases in court listings, we must establish dedicated fast track rape courts, and we must fully implement the recommendations of the 2019 Gillen Review. Survivors deserve faster and more consistent case progression, specialist court processes, proper funding for victim support services and an end to harmful rape myths in court. None of this should be controversial. It is about fairness, compassion and basic justice.

“When a case drags on for months and years it does not only harm the survivor,” she said.

“It damages trust in policing, in prosecution and in the courts themselves. Justice delayed is justice denied, and nowhere is that more true than for victims of sexual offences.”