Victims are being failed five years on from a landmark review into how the north’s justice system handles serious sexual crime, it has been warned.
Key recommendations made in the 2019 report by former lord justice of appeal Sir John Gillen have yet to be implemented, the Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime, Geraldine Hanna, said on the fifth anniversary of its publication.
The independent review began in 2018 and focused on how courts are set up to deliver justice in serious sexual offence cases. It was commissioned in the wake of the high-profile rape trial of former Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding, both of whom were acquitted.
The report made more than 200 recommendations, including the granting of anonymity to people suspected of sexual offences until they are charged, which came into force last year.
Among the main recommendations made were restricting public access to trials involving serious sexual offences, and the pre-recording of cross-examinations of complainants.
The failure to implement key recommendations has prompted criticism from the north’s Commissioner Designate for Victims of Crime.
The role was created by justice minister Naomi Long in 2022 to give an independent voice to victims of crime and to make recommendations for change.
“Victims of sexual crime have been failed by the fact that five years after Sir John’s report was published, many of his recommendations are still outstanding,” Ms Hanna said.
“There have been positive changes, including the introduction of Sexual Offences Legal Advisors (SOLAs) and the establishment of remote evidence centres.
“But there is no doubt that this has taken too long. An underfunded system, stagnation and dysfunction at Stormont have all added to the delay.
“Whilst it is encouraging to see more victims coming forward to report sexual crimes, we must ensure that the system they then engage with is fit for purpose.
“I would like to see a renewed focus from the Criminal Justice Board on this and the publication of an updated plan on how the rest of these recommendations will be implemented.”
Ms Hanna said the pace of change “remains too slow and the voices of victims engaging with my office underscores the urgency for continued pressure to ensure Gillen’s vision for a better justice system is fully realised”.
She added: “We cannot afford to wait another five years to fully implement the report’s recommendations.”
A Department of Justice spokesperson said they accept there is “more to do to support victims of serious sexual offences and improve their experience of the criminal justice system”.
“The department is committed to working in partnership across the criminal justice system, other Executive departments and voluntary and community sector partners, to doing this and to fully implement the Gillen Review,” they said.
“Nonetheless, good progress has been made with 135 recommendations fully implemented and another 48 recommendations are well underway – all these measures that have been introduced are delivering meaningful improved outcomes for victims.”
They added that the “scale and pace of delivery has been affected by financial constraints and uncertainties around future funding, as well as the absence of Ministers and the Assembly”.
“Budgets have not been confirmed, and there are several projects which cannot be commenced without funding being secured,” they said.
