Specialist courtrooms to prioritise rape and serious sexual offence trials across England and Wales

# What was announced Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced plans to introduce specialist courtrooms for rape and other serious sexual offences across England and Wales. The measures are designed to make the court experience less retraumatising, speed up trials and encourage more victims to come forward.

# What will change in court buildings The government will ensure every crown court has at least one courtroom configured specifically for rape and serious sexual offence trials within two years. Features mentioned include:

• Facilities to record evidence in advance and to enable victims to view proceedings or sentencing remotely.

The aim is to make these settings standard rather than dependent on ad hoc arrangements.

# Case management and trial timing Rape and serious sexual offence trials will be prioritised more broadly in court timetables. Specifically, such trials will be given a fixed date rather than being placed on floating lists that make them vulnerable to short-notice rescheduling and lengthy delays.

# Additional measures and funding Alongside courtroom changes, the package includes multiple operational and support measures:

• Trauma-informed training for court staff.
• A pilot scheme assigning victims a single point of contact during the court process.

• Separate funding: £43m to support survivors through the national rape and sexual abuse support fund over the next two years, covering counselling, therapy, outreach and group work.

# Political and campaigner responses Labour MP Charlotte Nichols, who waived her anonymity to describe her own experience and the long wait she faced, welcomed the measures, saying they would have made a difference to many survivors. The Ministry of Justice cited her "immense strength and bravery."

Rape Crisis England and Wales and other charities have long called for reforms similar to those announced. Some groups described the package as a response to longstanding campaign demands.

The victims commissioner, Claire Waxman, welcomed measures but warned that the crown court backlog for rape and sexual offence cases is now "significantly worse" than when she first called for specialist courts in 2021. She said tens of thousands more victims are waiting for trials and that specialist courts alone will not tackle the scale of delay.

The Conservatives' shadow justice secretary, Nick Timothy, supported tackling delays but criticised the government for using backlog problems while pursuing changes to jury trial rights.

# Practical implications for victims and cases If implemented as described, victims should encounter a court process that is more private and trauma-aware, with clearer scheduling and fewer last-minute postponements. Remote viewing and pre-recorded evidence options aim to reduce the need for in-person attendance at sensitive stages.

However, the effectiveness of the plans depends on how quickly rooms are adapted, how consistently trauma-informed practice is applied, and whether broader backlog reductions happen so victims can access the specialist settings.

# Timeline and next steps The commitment is to have at least one specialist courtroom in every crown court within two years. The support fund allocation covers the next two years. A rape justice taskforce and pilots for single points of contact are planned to begin under the same programme.