Date:
This Bulletin presents key statistics for the 2024/25 financial year (i.e., 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025) and includes comparisons with the 2023/24 financial year. It provides a statistical overview of all sexual offences, including an analysis of cases involving rape.
Key findings
During the 2024/25 financial year:
The PPS received a total of 1,613 files involving a sexual offence. This was a decrease of 0.1% on 2023/24 (1,615). There was a decrease of 3.0% in the number of files received involving an offence of rape, from 635 to 616.
Files received included a total of 1,673 suspects, 630 of whom were charged or reported for rape (a decrease of 3.1% on 2023/24) and 1,043 were in respect of other sexual offences (an increase of 1.2%).
1,667 prosecutorial decisions were issued by the PPS in respect of suspects in cases involving sexual offences. The Test for Prosecution was met in respect of 31.6% of decisions, which included 526 decisions for prosecution or diversion from the courts. At 31.6%, the percentage of decisions meeting the Test represents a decrease from 2023/24 (32.2%).
Of the 1,141 no prosecution decisions issued during 2024/25, the vast majority (99.0%) did not pass the evidential test. The remaining 1.0% did not pass the public interest test.
Median days for the issue of indictable prosecution decisions (prosecution in the Crown Court) in cases involving sexual offences was 133 calendar days (212 days in 2023/24). Median days for summary prosecution decisions (prosecution in the Magistrates’ or Youth Courts) was 37 days (41 in 2023/24).
A total of 243 defendants were dealt with in the Crown Court in cases involving sexual offences. The overall conviction rate was 74.1% compared with 72.2% in 2023/24.
Seventy-five defendants were dealt with in the Crown Court for an offence of rape and fifty (66.7%) of these were convicted of at least one offence (i.e., any offence). Twenty defendants (26.7%) were convicted of an offence of rape.
A total of 210 defendants were dealt with in the Magistrates’ and Youth Courts for a sexual offence during 2024/25. The overall conviction rate was 73.3% compared with 72.1% in 2023/24.