The Attorney-General (Mr Dominic Grieve)
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is today publishing a study undertaken by the Crown Prosecution Service into perverting the course of justice and wasting police time in cases involving allegedly false rape and domestic violence allegations.
The DPP published new legal guidance on perverting the course of justice in July 2011 and, for a period of 17-months, required CPS areas to refer all cases involving an allegedly false allegation of rape, domestic violence or both to him to consider.
The report examines all of those cases and in only a very small number of cases was it considered that there was sufficient evidence and that it was in the public interest to prosecute a person suspected of making a false allegation of rape or domestic violence.
While the report shows that false allegations of rape and domestic violence are very rare, they are nevertheless very serious where they do exist. The report’s conclusions suggest that the CPS guidance for prosecutors on this issue is broadly in the right place and the findings will help the CPS ensure that they are able to make consistent and sound decisions in these difficult cases.
This publication is part of a wider programme of work for the CPS to improve its handling of cases involving violence against women and girls.
Copies of this report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.