Victims' Code breaches (CSA)
Non-compliance with the Victims' Code in relation to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse by various agencies.
68 items
8 sources
1 inquiry
Strongest theme matches
Mixed across source types and ranked by classifier confidence plus text match strength.
Committee recommendation
78match
#12 - Amend Victims’ Code to ensure tailored information on sentencing and ULS scheme.
The Victims’ Code sets out that victims of crime are entitled to be given information about the outcome of the case and any appeals. The Government should ensure that victims of crime and bereaved families receive tailored information about sentencing during the court process. The Government should amend the Victims’ Code to make clear that victims be entitled...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
Committee recommendation
78match
#11 - Amend Victims’ Code to provide victims with free access to sentencing remarks.
The current situation where victims have to pay significant sums to receive a transcript of sentencing remarks from the Crown Court is unsustainable. We reiterate our call for all sentencing remarks to be published (subject to the relevant legal restrictions). As a minimum, victims of crime and bereaved families should have ready and free access to sentencing remarks....
Matched on
terms: code, victim
Committee recommendation
73match
#24 - Inadequate data collection hinders effective monitoring of Victims' Code compliance and agency accountability.
A lack of data has been a key barrier to the effective monitoring of the implementation of the Code, particularly with respect to minority groups. Meaningful data collected and published regularly can help amplify victims voices and hold underperforming agencies to account. We welcome the duty the Bill places on the criminal justice bodies to collect data on...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
Victims' Commissioner recommendation
69match
Justice delayed: The impact of the Crown Court backlog on victims, victim services and the criminal justice system
Recommendation: The Ministry of Justice undertake a review of the victim journey with a view to exploring options for better delivery of Victims’ Code rights and communication, including exploration of a ‘single point of contact’ liaison or navigator that has responsibility for overseeing all communication and arrangements with the victim. Related document Justice delayed: The impact of the...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
Committee recommendation
68match
#25 - Require PCCs to publish disaggregated data on Code compliance and share with Commissioner.
We recommend that clause 5 includes a duty for the Victims’ Commissioner and local victims’ groups to be consulted on the data required to hold agencies to account on their performance in delivering the Code. That data should be standardised to allow comparison across police areas. The duty should also require the PCCs to publish that data, in...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
HMICFRS recommendation
65match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: Metropolitan Police Service
Cause of concern: The force needs to make sure that it complies with the requirements of the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime Recommendation: Within six months, the Metropolitan Police Service should set clear standards for how to manage victims effectively in accordance with the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (the Victims’ Code)
Matched on
terms: code, victim
HMICFRS recommendation
65match
PEEL 2021-22 CoC Recommendations: Greater Manchester Police
Cause of concern: The force does not investigate crime, supervise investigations or update victims to an acceptable standard. Recommendation: Greater Manchester Police should, within three months, make sure that victims are regularly updated in line with the Victims’ Code of Practice.
Matched on
terms: code, victim
IOPC learning recommendation
65match
Operation Linden recommendations - South Yorkshire Police and College of Policing, November 2021
The IOPC recommends that South Yorkshire Police ensure it has a way of effectively monitoring compliance with the Victims’ Code. This should include the quality of interactions between itself and others and not just a ‘tick box exercise’ of the various entitlements being made available. Our investigations highlighted many issues with how police officers and staff dealt with...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
Committee recommendation
61match
#14 - MoJ acknowledges lengthy waits for RASSO victims and implements specific support measures.
MoJ acknowledged that the long waits for RASSO victims is “not a particularly desirable situation” and outlined some measures in place to support these victims. These measures included: • investing £41 million in sexual violence and domestic violence advisors, and continuing to protect funding for victims (particularly for victims of violence against women and girls); • supporting the...
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
61match
#12 - Prolonged Crown Court waits, particularly for sex cases, contribute to increased victim attrition.
MoJ acknowledges that long waits in the Crown Court are bad for everyone, including defendants, victims and the system as a whole.25 MoJ noted particular concern for victims of sex cases, which are very complex and often take a long time to conclude.26 In September 2024, there were 11,574 open sexual offence cases in the Crown Court, and...
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
61match
#2 - Reduce delayed or postponed serious sexual and violent offence hearings and protect victim support funding.
Long waits for cases to start, delays and the often–last–minute postponement of cases all have a significant impact on the victims of crime, particularly for victims of Rape and Serious Sexual Offences (RASSO) and violent crimes, seriously disrupting their lives, inflicting additional distress on people who have already experienced terrible trauma, and leading many to withdraw from cases....
Matched on
terms: victim
PFD report
57match
Robert Hardy
Police failed to record an assault as a crime, preventing the provision of appropriate victim support and signposting for a vulnerable individual with known vulnerabilities.
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
56match
PEEL 2021-22 CoC Recommendations: West Mercia Police
Cause of concern: The force needs to improve how it investigates crimes, supervises investigations and updates victims. Recommendation: West Mercia Police should, within three months:- make sure victims are regularly updated in line with the Victims’ Code and that victim needs assessments and victim personal statements are recorded when appropriate, so victims are provided with suitable support services...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
HMICFRS recommendation
56match
Report on the Suzy Lamplugh Trust's super-complaint: The police response to stalking
By 27 March 2025, chief constables should take steps to make sure stalking victims receive the rights they are entitled to under the victim's code and have access to support services, including ensuring their force has appropriate processes to inform all stalking victims about their rights, making information about national and specialist stalking support services easily available, ensuring...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
HMICFRS recommendation
56match
Police perpetrated domestic abuse: Report on the Centre for Women's Justice super-complaint
The Home Office should consider whether it would be appropriate to make any changes to legislation to ensure that police victims of PPDA do not have weaker rights (for example, in relation to being kept informed of investigations and subsequent proceedings, and to seek an independent review of the outcome of an investigation) than non-police victims of PPDA.
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
55match
#6 - Undertake an audit of Northern Ireland’s framework for safeguarding children from paramilitary exploitation.
To counter the risk and reality of people romanticising paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, it is crucial that public agencies and wider civic society use language rooted in safeguarding and child protection when describing the activities of these criminal gangs which include the abuse and exploitation, including sexual abuse and exploitation, of children and young people. The Government,...
Matched on
terms: victim
PFD report
53match
Chelsie Greatorex
The police investigation into a child sexual assault lacked specialist officer involvement, experienced significant delays, and provided insufficient support to the complainant.
Matched on
classifier match
Inquiry recommendation
53match
MACP-37 - Fully record and disclose prosecution discontinuance decisions to victims or families.
That the CPS ensure that all decisions to discontinue any prosecution should be carefully and fully recorded in writing, and that save in exceptional circumstances, such written decisions should be disclosable to a victim or a victim's family.
Matched on
terms: victim
Inquiry recommendation
53match
MACP-36 - CPS must personally notify victims and families of discontinuance decisions sensitively.
That the CPS should have the positive duty always to notify a victim and victim's family personally of a decision to discontinue, particularly in cases of racist crime, with speed and sensitivity.
Matched on
terms: victim
Inquiry recommendation
53match
MACP-35 - Consult and inform victims or families about any proposal to discontinue proceedings.
That the CPS ensure that a victim or victim's family shall be consulted and kept informed as to any proposal to discontinue proceedings.
Matched on
terms: victim
Inquiry recommendation
53match
MACP-29 - Develop guidelines for handling victims and witnesses, especially in racist incidents.
That Police Services should together with the Home Office develop guidelines as to the handling of victims and witnesses, particularly in the field of racist incidents and crimes. The Victim's Charter to be reviewed in this context.
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
53match
An inspection of the service provided to victims of crime by Greater Manchester Police
Cause of concern: The force is inappropriately concluding crime investigations with cautions and community resolutions that aren’t appropriate and in which it doesn’t consult the victim. The force is also recording that victims are not supporting or are withdrawing support for police action, even when it doesn’t have the necessary auditable evidence to confirm this is the case....
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
52match
#47 - Expedite recruitment of permanent Victims’ Commissioner and publish victim satisfaction data.
We urge the Government to expedite recruitment of a permanent new Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, so that victims and survivors do not face such a long wait without a representative again. We recommend policing proactively publish and interrogate data on outcomes and victim satisfaction to measure the impact of a renewed focus on supporting victims.
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
52match
#46 - Unacceptable delay in appointing Victims' Commissioner undermined trust and confidence in policing.
Victim and survivor care is one of the basics that policing has to get right. We agree that failure to prioritise the needs of victims and survivors in the past has undermined trust and confidence in policing today. We are pleased to see that an interim Victims’ Commissioner has finally been appointed. It is, to us, wholly unacceptable...
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
51match
#8 - 1st Report - The Coroner Service
Bereaved people deserve a charter of rights setting out the standards of service they are entitled to receive from the Coroner Service. Setting out the standards they can ‘expect’ in the Guide to Coroner Services is inadequate. The Ministry of Justice should implement a statutory Charter of Rights for bereaved people, modelled on the criminal justice system’s victims’...
Matched on
terms: code, victim
HMICFRS recommendation
51match
PEEL 2021-22 CoC Recommendations: Staffordshire Police
Cause of concern: The force needs to make sure that it carries out effective investigations and that it gives victims the support they need. Recommendation: Within six months: Staffordshire Police should make sure that it complies with the requirements established in the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime and that it completes victim needs assessments.
Matched on
terms: code, victim
IOPC learning recommendation
48match
Recommendation - Staffordshire Police, January 2026
The IOPC recommends that Staffordshire Police review their processes to ensure subjects who are under investigation for alleged sexual offences, and attend a voluntary interview, are provided with appropriate information which signposts sources of support. If a subject is subsequently charged (whether by post or otherwise), consideration should be given to whether such information needs to be given...
Matched on
classifier match
PHSO casework decision
48match
P-002794 - Crown Prosecution Service
Miss C complains the CPS prosecuting barrister failed to read her Victim Personal Statement to the court before sentencing.
Matched on
terms: victim
Inquiry recommendation
48match
MACP-41 - Allow victims or families to become "civil parties" in criminal proceedings.
That consideration should be given to the proposition that victims or victims' families should be allowed to become "civil parties" to criminal proceedings, to facilitate and to ensure the provision of all relevant information to victims or their families.
Matched on
terms: victim
Inquiry recommendation
48match
MACP-31 - Ensure training and use of victim/witness liaison officers for racist incidents.
That Police Services ensure the provision of training and the availability of victim/witness liaison officers, and ensure their use in appropriate areas particularly in the field of racist incidents and crimes, where the need for a sensitive approach to young and vulnerable victims and witnesses is paramount.
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
48match
#16 - Review statutory purposes of sentencing to emphasise justice for victims and families.
Findings from the Committee’s engagement with the public demonstrate how important it is for the MoJ to undertake more work of this nature and to incorporate findings into its policy development. The Government should review the statutory purposes of sentencing to consider whether greater emphasis should be placed on achieving justice for the victims of crime and their...
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
44match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: West Midlands Police
Cause of concern: The force needs to make sure it carries out effective investigations which lead to satisfactory results for victims. Recommendation: Within six months, West Midlands Police should make sure it is using outcomes appropriately, in a way that complies with force and national policies, leading to satisfactory results for victims.
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
44match
A joint thematic inspection of the police and Crown Prosecution Service's response to rape - Phase two: Post-charge
Immediately and by September 2022 define the role of the prosecutor in communicating with victims
Matched on
terms: victim
PHSO casework decision
44match
P-003103 - Charity Commission
Mr U complains the Charity Commission failed to respond appropriately to and investigate serious allegations he made about concealment of child sexual abuse.
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
44match
#23 - Clarify rights for police officers as victims and complainants through legislative amendments
We recommend the Home Office work with the Ministry of Justice in considering amendments to the Victims and Prisoners Bill to clarify rights for police officers who are themselves the victims of police-perpetrated crime. The Home Office should work with the Independent Office for Police Conduct to ascertain how police complainants could be afforded similar rights to other...
Matched on
terms: victim
Inquiry recommendation
39match
MACP-44 - Police and Courts prevent intimidation of witnesses through bail conditions
That Police Services and the Courts seek to prevent the intimidation of victims and witnesses by imposing appropriate bail conditions.
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
39match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: Nottinghamshire Police
Cause of concern: The force needs to improve how it manages, supervises and carries out effective investigations, and make sure that victims get the support they need. Recommendation: By 30 September 2024, the force should make sure: - supervisors review investigations effectively to reduce delays and make sure that officers and staff pursue all reasonable investigative opportunities; -...
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
39match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: Lincolnshire Police
Cause of concern: The force needs to improve how it allocates, supervises and carries out investigations to make sure victims get the support they need. Recommendation: Within six months from the date of the publication of this letter, Lincolnshire Police should make sure that a victim needs assessment is carried out and a victim contract is completed where...
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
39match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: Devon and Cornwall Police
Cause of concern: The force needs to make sure it carries out effective investigations that lead to satisfactory results for victims Recommendation: Within six months, Devon and Cornwall Police should make sure a victim contract is completed and a victim needs assessment is carried out where appropriate.
Matched on
terms: victim
IOPC learning recommendation
39match
Recommendations - Cleveland Police, May 2022
The IOPC recommends that Cleveland police force should ensure that vulnerability and needs assessments are always conducted for victims and witnesses and, where court proceedings occur, an application for special measures is made where appropriate. This will ensure provide better support is provided for victims and witnesses.’ This follows an IOPC investigation whereby, historically, victims were not supported...
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
39match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: Hertfordshire Constabulary
Cause of concern: The constabulary is failing to record reports of crime correctly Recommendation: With immediate effect, the constabulary should address gaps in the systems and processes for identifying and recording all reports made by victims of crime. It should give particular attention to crimes of rape, behavioural crimes, violent crime related to domestic abuse and antisocial behaviour.
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
36match
#17 - Strengthen support and intervention measures for Baker Clause compliance.
There is a stark disparity between how post-16 technical and vocational education and training pathways are presented to pupils and how academic pathways are presented, and fundamental differences in the levels of support and guidance that students receive about each. The Baker Clause and the provider access legislation are meant to ensure that school pupils are introduced to...
Matched on
classifier match
PHSO casework decision
36match
P-002833 - Charity Commission
Miss A complains she was institutionally betrayed by the Commission when it investigated her complaint about her sexual exploitation by a Trustee of a UK charity. She says the Commission also failed to recognise her sensitive personal circumstances and make sure of her welfare.
Matched on
classifier match
Committee recommendation
35match
#10 - Ensure OfS sexual harassment survey captures student experiences on and off university campus.
We welcome the Office for Student’s (OfS) commitment to a prevalence survey of sexual harassment and sexual abuse in the university sector. This would overcome the reluctance of some universities to do this work due to fears of reputational damage. The OfS should ensure that the survey captures students’ experiences of sexual harassment both on and off the...
Matched on
classifier match
HMICFRS recommendation
30match
PEEL 2023-25 CoC Recommendations: Warwickshire Police
Cause of concern: The force needs to improve how quickly it attends incidents. Recommendation: Within six months, Warwickshire Police should make sure that where there are unavoidable delays, it updates victims and risk assessments.
Matched on
terms: victim
HMICFRS recommendation
30match
PEEL 2018-19 CoC Recommendations: Sussex Police
Cause of concern: Sussex Police is failing to manage risk effectively. In the force control room, some vulnerable victims are left without police attendance for considerable periods of time. Some victims may not be getting through to the police at all because on average 43 percent of calls to 101 are abandoned. Some investigations involving vulnerable people are...
Matched on
terms: victim
Committee recommendation
22match
#4 - Accredit and monitor online STI test providers, and outline child safeguarding for online risks.
Online providers of STI tests and treatment should be accredited by the relevant regulatory body, and regularly monitored on their performance against national clinical guidelines. In response to this Report, the Government should set out the steps it will take to ensure that all children who identify online as a safeguarding risk receive the support they need.
Matched on
classifier match
LGO / SPSO decision
14match
24-002-124 - Westminster City Council
Summary: We cannot investigate this complaint about the evidence given in court and the reports written for it. An absolute legal bar prevents us doing so.
Matched on
classifier match