Report hails work to prosecute offenders

Prosecutors in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin are performing well in securing convictions against men who rape or subject women to domestic abuse, new figures have revealed.

Crown Prosecution Service staff in the county are achieving a higher conviction rate for these offences than in many other parts of the country, according to the report, which is only the second to study the figures.

The findings were revealed in the second annual CPS Violence Against Women Crime Report .

It shows prosecutors in the CPS West Mercia area, which includes Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin as well as Herefordshire and Worcestershire, compare favourably with other parts of the country.

The report says that in West Mercia the conviction rate for domestic abuse offences has risen from 53.8 per cent in 2005/06 to 81.6 per cent in 2008/09 against a national average of 72.2 per cent.

The conviction rate for rape in West Mercia was 69.4 per cent in 2008/09, against an average of 57.7 per cent.

Colin Chapman, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the CPS in West Mercia, said: "These figures clearly show the focus we have placed on these offences and the commitment of our prosecutors to combating violence against women.

"We have considerably improved the training given to our prosecutors and the quality of care and support offered to victims and witnesses over the past few years.

"We are also working more closely with the police and other parties and these latest figures prove that what we are doing is achieving positive results that make a real difference to the people involved.

"I am pleased that we are demonstrating real progress but we cannot stop there. These cases can have a huge impact and serious consequences for the victims and those around them, and we will seek to improve everything we do to ensure that victims feel confident that we will fight for justice."

By Iain St John