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A PREDICTED surge in rape trials has prompted police and prosecutors to overhaul guidelines on how such cases are handled.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and police chiefs launched a joint protocol yesterday setting out how to deal with all rape cases from the initial complaint to after the verdict in a trial.
The move comes amid predictions that the number of rape cases going to trial this year could be up to 30 per cent higher than in 2012/13.
This means that there will be around 550 extra jury trials this year and 650 extra decisions to charge.
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Alison Saunders and Assistant Commissioner Martin Hewitt confirmed that they had written to all chief crown prosecutors and chief constables to ensure the protocol is embedded into practices across England and Wales.
