Labour welcomes move to ensure abuse victims not “timed out of justice”

Yvette Cooper has welcomed the government’s acceptance of a Labour proposal to “stop victims of domestic abuse being timed out of justice” as ministers said they would lift the six-month limit on prosecuting common assault in such cases.

Dominic Raab announced the change on Monday, which will be included as an amendment to the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill, to “plug gaps” in the current legislation that he said risks offenders escaping justice.

Under the current law, prosecutions in relation to common assault or battery must commence within six months of the offence. The BBC recently revealed that almost 13,000 domestic abuse cases in England and Wales had been dropped in the past five years because of the time limit.

Campaigners say that victims of domestic common assault are often reluctant to come forward and that their cases can be complex, which is why more time should be allowed for the complainant to come forward and the investigation to take place.

Between 2016-17 and 2020-21, the total number of common assaults flagged as instances of domestic abuse increased by 71% from 99,134 to 170,013. In the same time period, the number that resulted in charges being brought fell by 23%.

The clock on prosecutions currently starts running from the date of the incident. Following the announcement this week, however, this will now be set at the moment the incident is reported to the police and a new overall time limit of two years will be introduced from the date of the offence to bringing a prosecution.

Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary proposed extending the time limit on domestic abuse prosecutions in the Magistrates’ Court in an amendment to the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill in the House of Commons last year.

“We will keep up the pressure for more action. This is one of many measures Labour is pushing for to tackle violence against women and girls. Over the last five years prosecutions for rape and domestic abuse have plummeted,” Cooper said.

The move from Raab followed significant pressure for the government to act on violence against women and girls. Ministers were forced to apologise last year after their end-to-end rape review found that just 3% of reported cases in England and Wales resulted in a prosecution in 2019-20 – down from 13% five years ago

Cooper added: “Too many perpetrators are being let off, too many victims are being let down and the Conservative government isn’t doing enough to turn that around. Labour has a serious and workable plan to tackle the epidemic of violence against women and girls.”

Labour published its own strategy on how to tackle violence against women and girls last year. Proposals included a new survivor support package to improve victims’ experience in the courts, including fast tracking rape and sexual violence cases, legal help for victims and better training for professionals.

The Justice Secretary also confirmed another amendment to the police, crime, sentencing and courts bill on Monday, announcing that taking photos of breastfeeding women in public without their consent is to be made a crime.