Sexual Offences: Crown Court
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 17 February 2025 to Question 29896 on Sexual Offences: Crown Court, whether she plans to engage with victims and survivors in the evaluation of the pilot scheme.
Answered by Sarah Sackman
Since May 2024, the Ministry of Justice has been running a one-year pilot to enable victims of rape and sexual offences, whose cases were heard at the Crown Court, to request a copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks free of charge.
An assessment of the pilot is underway. This includes collecting applicant survey feedback, shared by victims or by those applying on their behalf. The results of the assessment will be published, and presented at victims’ sector groups, after the pilot has ended in May 2025. In this way victims’ voices will be at the heart of the pilot’s evaluation and any consequent decisions.
Surveys were sent to applicants, who gave consent to being contacted for survey purposes, asking for their views, and this information will inform the final assessment of the pilot.
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