Latest news with #ClaireWaxman
Telegraph
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
London's crime epidemic is far worse than people realise
I want to defend London; I really do. But it's not an easy task – which is strange for a city that has been voted the best in the world for a tenth consecutive year. I can only imagine that the team behind 'World's Best Cities' hasn't been to the capital. Or perhaps they don't have eyes or ears. Whatever it is, it doesn't matter. What matters is that London is a mess, and it seems to be getting worse. Each new week presents a fresh horror to sully our capital city's once-great reputation. This week it's crime – that old chestnut. We now know it's far worse than people realise. A recent study by Claire Waxman, London's first independent victims' commissioner, found that a mere 40 per cent of crimes in London are reported. Of that number, a further 40 per cent of victims withdraw from the justice process before a charging decision is made. Why? Because they don't believe they can get a conviction. They've lost faith in the criminal justice system. We all have. The figures are even worse for domestic abuse victims: six out of ten withdraw from the justice process altogether. That figure rises to 74 per cent in cases of rape related to domestic abuse. According to Waxman's report, police are actively dissuading victims from pursuing charges. But the Met aren't entirely to blame. The courts are also a stinking mess. Right now, there are 77,000 cases waiting to be heard. One hundred cases won't go to trial until 2029. That's four years until a victim – a person courageous enough to step forward – can experience any semblance of justice. For want of a better phrase, you're taking the proverbial. I worry about what this means for London's future. The current situation is unsustainable. The public is tired. In Waxman's report, one domestic abuse victim was quoted as saying: 'There have been cases of people being stabbed to death and we have their faces on CCTV but they still don't get a conviction, so this won't go anywhere.' Quite literally, criminals are getting away with murder. But whilst bemoaning the state of the criminal justice system is understandable, it doesn't get the victims any closer to justice. And I fear that people will start to take justice into their own hands. This isn't a good thing. A vigilante group is only one false accusation away from becoming a lynch mob. Besides, we shouldn't be forced to protect ourselves. We pay into the police precept for a reason: so that the police can handle the law for us. London is already hard enough: rising rents, shoddy transport, polluted skies. The last thing we need is to start spending our evenings wandering around the streets with baseball bats in our hands and thoughts of a brighter tomorrow. This isn't The Purge. But London certainly isn't Kansas anymore, Toto. A pint is £8. The Tube network is like the arteries of a very ill man. A room the size of an airing cupboard that smells of urine and the Gruffalo's armpit will set you back £1000 a month. Having your phone nicked is a rite of passage. And now it seems like stabbing someone to death will get you nothing more than a slap on the wrist and a tousle of the hair. But complaining about the declining state of London will only get us so far. Instead, we should be asking the only question that matters: what are our bodies of power going to do to fix it? And when?
Telegraph
16-07-2025
- Telegraph
Rape victims withdraw from up to three-quarters of cases
Rape victims are dropping out of up to three-quarters of cases after being put off by police and court delays, a report has found. The research, based on more than 270,000 crimes reported to police, found that on average 40 per cent dropped out before a charging decision, with many feeling that they had been forced out. The proportion rose sharply for sexual offences, with rape recording a dropout rate of 69 per cent. This increased to 74 per cent for rape in domestic abuse cases, according to the study commissioned by Claire Waxman, London's Victims' Commissioner. Victims reported being dissuaded by the police from entering the justice process and told how unlikely it was that their case would go anywhere. One victim who had been sexually assaulted was told by the police officer while reporting the attack that 'there have been cases of people being stabbed to death and we have their faces on CCTV but they still don't get a conviction, so this won't go anywhere'. There were even indications that some police officers were logging that victims had withdrawn from prosecutions without consulting with them. Ms Waxman said: 'With 77,000 cases waiting to be heard in the Crown Courts alone, it is clear the justice system is at breaking point, and it is victims who pay the price. 'In policing there are good officers who go above and beyond, those who try but are hampered by a lack of capacity and resources, and unfortunately there are officers who use victim withdrawal as an easy way of closing cases.' She called for oversight of the police in their role keeping victims engaged, urgent action to ensure victims' needs and vulnerabilities were recorded and supported and swift action to tackle the backlogs and spare victims a years-long wait for a hope of justice. The research, based on data from the Metropolitan Police, focused on crimes including arson, criminal damage, robbery, public order, violence against the person, and sexual offences. Withdrawal rates were highest when the offender was known to the victim, with a victim 2.1 times more likely to withdraw if the offender was a current or ex-partner rather than a stranger, and 1.8 times more likely when it was a friend or acquaintance. With cases being scheduled for 2029, court delays were a key factor in decisions to withdraw from cases. The research found victims are also dropping out due to the lack of available specialist support to help them navigate the system. However, an audit of 334 records, where victims had withdrawn, found 197 of them had no auditable record of the victim dropping out, such as no body-worn video, no record of an email or phone call. Ms Waxman said this tied in with reports from victims. 'One victim, when requesting information from the police sometime after reporting, was surprised to find that their case had been closed, with the reason being given that the victim withdrew, unbeknownst to them,' she said. Pippa Mills, Assistant Commissioner of the Met Police, said the force was 'relentlessly bearing down on perpetrators to secure justice for victims'. 'To improve victims' experiences, we're driving up charges for serious offences including rape and serious sexual assault, developing a new victim strategy, rolling out more training, and have launched a new online service, leaflets, and dedicated phone line to increase the frequency and quality of our communications,' she said. However, she noted that there were currently more than 100 trials already scheduled for 2029 in London, meaning 'intolerable delays for victims waiting for closure from often traumatic experiences. 'There must be a collective effort from the government, partners and the criminal justice system to reform and reverse years of decline,' she said.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
The Law Show Should killers be forced to attend sentencing hearings?
The Victims and Courts Bill is progressing through Parliament, and will force convicted criminals to attend their sentencing hearings. If criminals convicted of the most serious offences in England or Wales refuse to attend, or are disruptive in court, they will face an extra two years in prison. There are other sanctions too, including missing out on family visits. 'Reasonable force' can also be used to get criminals to attend. The families of three women killed in London - Sabina Nessa, Jan Mustafa and Zara Aleena - have been campaigning for a new law. In each case, the men who murdered their loved ones refused to come to their sentencing hearings. Their families are not alone; the mother of 9 year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was fatally shot in August 2022, has also been calling for a change in the law. The man who murdered her daughter also refused to come to court to be sentenced. But will the changes improve the court system for the families of victims? Also on the programme: The first purely-AI legal service has been given the go ahead in England and Wales - what does it mean for the UK legal sector? And who gets the dog? Why all couples might want to consider a "pet-nup" in case they split up. Presenter: Joelle Grogan Producers: Ravi Naik and Charlotte Rowles Editor Tara McDermott Contributors Charlie Sherrard KC, criminal justice barrister and judge Claire Waxman, Victim's Commissioner for London Dr Giulia Gentile, Department of Law, University of Essex and expert on AI and digital regulation Samantha Woodham, barrister and co-founder of The Divorce Surgery.
The Herald Scotland
14-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
TV presenter accuses police officer of sexual misconduct
Adedeji, who presents episodes of investigative TV show Untold, told Channel 4 News she raised an historical allegation of sexual misconduct in 2023 against a then serving police officer who was more than 15 years her senior, whom she met while he was on duty in east London. The 31-year-old alleges that the officer initiated a sexual relationship while working and used a false identity throughout their years-long relationship; an identity that concealed his existing family while he served in the Metropolitan Police before he transferred to City of London Police. The officer was arrested in February 2024 on suspicion of misconduct in public office, Channel 4 News said. Adedeji, who also hosts the Courtroom Drama podcast, claims that when a detective was assigned to investigate her complaint, he made inappropriate comments to her throughout the process, including commenting on her appearance and joking about how the case brought them together. Speaking to Channel 4 News, Adedeji said of the police misconduct process: 'These experiences have left me completely disillusioned. 'How can women feel safe coming forward when they're retraumatised by the very system that's meant to protect them?' She also said City of London Police told her last year her case had been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) but was later told by the CPS that they had not received the file. London Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman has since written to City of London Police Commissioner Pete O'Doherty to raise serious concerns about the investigation, Channel 4 News said. Ms Waxman wrote: 'It's really important that those actually looking into the behaviour have not been accused themselves and have not been subject to allegations.' Policing Minister Diana Johnson told Channel 4 News: 'I can't comment on the individual case but it concerns me greatly that we have this culture in policing. 'There is a huge job of work for the police to do to restore that public confidence, particularly in women and girls…And we know from some of the appalling cases that have happened in policing in recent years, trust and confidence in women and girls has reduced down and that has to be put right by the police. 'And I know there's a lot of work.' A Met spokesman said: 'While the vast majority of our officers work every day with professionalism and integrity to keep London safe, it is right they are asked to uphold the highest of standards and are held to account when they fail to do so. 'The Government's new vetting regulations close a gap in the law and allow us to ensure only officers who maintain a suitable standard of clearance throughout their career can police the streets of London. 'This is fundamental to public trust and confidence and in the last 18 months around 100 officers have been sacked or resigned after having their vetting removed. 'We are working extremely hard to build an environment and culture where the public and colleagues feel empowered to report concerns and know that those concerns will be addressed and dealt with effectively.' In a statement to Channel 4 News, City of London Police said: 'Last year a criminal investigation began following the arrest of an officer for misconduct in a public office. 'A separate complaint against the same officer was also investigated under Police Conduct Regulations, resulting in him being found guilty of gross misconduct. 'He is no longer a serving officer. 'We cannot disclose details of the criminal investigation that may prejudice the case but accept the victim's complaints and fully recognise the importance of trust and confidence in how our investigations are carried out. 'We referred all of the victims' concerns to the Independent Office for Police Conduct for consideration, and after receiving their advice it should continue to be investigated locally, we have listened to the concerns raised and passed the complaint to a separate force (British Transport Police) for independent review.'
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Concerns over strangulation during sex presentation plan
A council has been criticised for creating a PowerPoint presentation that appeared to endorse strangulation during sex that was intended to be used in schools. The slides included the sentence: "It is never OK to start choking someone without asking them first." Bridgend council said it was part of a "draft version", never shown to children and the slides were dropped following feedback from professionals. But experts and politician Natasha Asghar have asked why the Welsh authority "deemed appropriate" to include an illegal act in any draft of the presentation. 'My ex had such a small sentence for strangling me' Concerns children learning sex from pornography Boys asking teachers how to choke girls during sex Bridgend council commissioned the school resource from their in-house domestic abuse service, called Assia, and a presentation was leaked last year. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Wales' First Minister Eluned Morgan were among those sent an open letter raising concerns of parents and professionals that deliver sex education lessons. Claire Waxman, the Victims' Commissioner for London, also told The Times that the material was "deeply concerning". Former Conservative MEP Baroness Jacqueline Foster also spoke out, telling Parliament that non-fatal strangulation was a criminal offence that could be punished with imprisonment. The Welsh government said non-fatal strangulation was "dangerous and illegal" and added the resources Bridgend council gave schools "make this clear". Bridgend council have since issued a "clarification" statement that said "the slides were part of inaccurate or out-of-date information that was either updated or removed". But it raised further questions as to why the material and messaging existed in the first place, so BBC Wales asked them for more information. The authority said the slide was part of an "active presentation". "The idea was that the presenter would use the slide to stimulate debate before advising participants that non-fatal strangulation is actually a dangerous, illegal crime which carries significant penalties," said Bridgend council's statement. They said that part of the presentation was dropped following feedback from professionals consulted during the drafting process. Sources including Michael Conroy, who trains professionals like teachers to deliver sex education lessons, have told the BBC that they understand the presentation was offered to schools and youth settings to show. However, the council denied this and said it was only sent "as a work in progress with a small group of professionals for their insight and views". "It was presented as this is what we will teach to children, there was intention there," said Mr Conroy, a former personal, social and health education co-ordinator in schools, who did not receive the presentation from the council directly. When Mr Conroy first saw the slide in question, he said it was "terrifying" and there was not any additional information about safety on other slides. "The idea that someone is saying it's ok to strangle a person if you get a yes is atrocious," added Mr Conroy of Men at Work. "It's the opposite of safeguarding, it's a terrible breach of trust." Welsh Parliament member Natasha Asghar said she had been contacted by "concerned parents" and called for Bridgend council to release the material. "I'm requesting both versions of this PowerPoint presentation," said the Conservative Senedd member who sits on the Children, Young People and Education Committee. "We shouldn't disguise the fact those responsible for creating the content originally deemed this appropriate. We need to look into this to make sure children are being taught properly." Despite the council saying that the slide was not to be used in isolation, she said: "It does not negate from that fact those responsible for the content originally deemed it appropriate. This is where I have my concerns." Ms Asghar said she had written to the council leader but was without a reply. The example has raised concerns from parents, experts and politicians about what is being taught to children in school during sex education lessons. "I know government will dismiss this as the work of just one sex ed provider but all parents should ask to see the materials their children are being taught in PHSE," said Fiona Mackenzie, who led a campaign to end the so-called rough sex defence in the Domestic Abuse bill. "This is up to government to take control of sex ed materials, opening sex ed up to the market means anyone can set up to tell children how to have sex." Bridgend council said in a statement: "We want to again confirm that local children are not being taught to believe that dangerous sexual behaviour is acceptable as long as consent is in place." The Welsh government reiterated that "at no point were inappropriate materials shared for use in schools or seen by learners". They said they had given extra funding to provide "expertise and support" to schools and local authorities and make sure resources were "age appropriate and in line with legal requirements". "We have always been clear that any resources must be developmentally appropriate and in line with the legal requirements of the mandatory Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Code," the Welsh government statement added. The UK government have been approached for comment. If you've been affected by the issues in this story, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.
