Figures from the Ministry of Justice reveal long delays in child sexual abuse and exploitation cases, with some proceedings taking more than a year.
The research, shared with the NSPCC, shows in 2024/25 there were 6,989 cases pending trial, being heard or awaiting sentencing across England and Wales – a 9% increase on the previous year.
On average, victims of child sexual abuse had to wait 10 months for their case to reach completion in Crown Courts, rising to 18 months for cases involving the rape of a child aged between 13 and 15.
Childline has reported that delays in the court process are affecting young victims’ mental health. One 17-year-old told the charity: ‘We’re still waiting on the case to go court. I can’t move on with my life in the meantime. I want to focus on school and my friends but find myself talking about what happened instead. I didn’t realise how dragged out the process would be.’
A 14-year-old added: ‘The other person is getting on with their life while I’m stuck feeling anger, frustration, feeling numb, just waiting. I need the court case over with.’
Against this backdrop, the NSPCC is calling for faster court proceedings and measures to reduce the backlog, noting the number of cases going through the courts increased by 14% in 2024/25, from 6,705 to 7,621.
The charity is also urging a review of the Young Witness Initiative Protocol, which expedites proceedings for witnesses under 10 and is calling for it be extended to all victims under the age of 16.
‘No one should have to face agonisingly long waits for their case to go to court and reach a resolution, but this is especially true for child victims of sexual abuse and exploitation,’ Maria Neophytou, director of strategy and knowledge at the NSPCC, said. ‘Not only do these waits cause significant anxiety and worry for children who have already experienced serious trauma, but they can also delay young victims from being able to access the support they need to start to recover from abuse.
‘We want the government to help ensure more young witnesses’ cases are going through the courts by using their upcoming response to the Leveson Inquiry to set out urgent action to tackle the remaining backlog and reduce delays for child victims.’
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