2 Jun 2015

Met chief: police ‘overwhelmed’ by surge in rape reports

Police will have to be taken off the streets unless there are more resources to cope with an “overwhelming” rise in reported cases of rape, the UK’s most senior police officer warns.

The Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said police were suffering “burn-out” as they struggled to cope with the rising volume of the “emotionally draining work” – which he pledged should be given the same priorities as counter-terrorism and cybercrime.

The review, which has involved discussions with rape victims and police over the course of a year, has made 46 recommendations to address areas including resourcing, improved training, enhanced victim care and changing the law regarding alcohol and consent.

The independent report, which was commissioner by Sir Bernard and the Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders in the wake of the Savile scandal, was prepared by Scottish lawyer Dame Elish Angiolini. It comes at a time when the force has seen its budget cut by 15 per cent, with further similar reductions expected later this year.

Publicity around the Jimmy Savile case had seen a rise in the number of reported cases with the overall levels 16 per cent higher than the previous year, the report found. Its author Dame Elish said: “Some of the recommendations will require a willingness to undertake radical change in the approach to these cases.”

The 161-page review found a 68 per cent rise in rape and penetrative offences recorded by the Met from 2005/6 to 2013/14. However, there was only a 17 per cent increase in offences charged within that time, the figures show.

Overwhelming burden

The report stated: “Whatever the reason, it is clear that the increase in reporting is putting an overwhelming burden on staff and concern is expressed about the Metropolitan Police Service’s ability to effectively manage its increasing workload.”

The review was also concerned about “the impact of excessive workloads on the effectiveness of both police and prosecutors, on delay and on police and prosecution staff welfare”. It said “high anxiety levels” were observed in both the Met and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), which it predicted would only worsen as staff struggle to meet increased levels of crime reporting.

The report found officers with the force’s Sapphire rape investigation team had an average of 15 live cases at one time. One officer told the report the number was “dangerous”, while another described the volume of criminal investigations it had to deal with as “virtually nonsensical”.

Dame Elish said the government would be asked to consider amending sex offence laws so that the impact of severe intoxication – such as alcohol – is embedded in legislation. Current laws do not provide a definition for whether an alleged victim is “incapable”, meaning it is a matter for a jury to decide whether the complainant is so intoxicated as to be incapable of granting consent for sex.