Rape Trials Debate

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Department: Scotland Office

Rape Trials

Lord Davies of Stamford Excerpts
Wednesday 6th June 2018

(6 years, 5 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Keen of Elie Portrait Lord Keen of Elie
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My Lords, I am not aware of any such cases. However, clearly, we have a series of filter mechanisms in our criminal justice system that includes the criminal cases review operation where there has already been a conviction and material comes to light.

Lord Davies of Stamford Portrait Lord Davies of Stamford (Lab)
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My Lords, the noble and learned Lord has referred several times to the obligations placed on the defence by the 1996 Act. Is he suggesting or is he aware of any evidence which indicates that some of these cases that have collapsed have done so as a result of a failure by the defence to meet its obligations under that Act?

Lord Keen of Elie Portrait Lord Keen of Elie
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Recent inquiries indicated that in something like 25% of cases a defence statement was not produced or not produced timeously.