Specialist courts for rape cases to be rolled out across England and Wales

Image source, Getty Images By Patrick Jackson Published 14 minutes ago Specialist courts to handle cases of rape and other sexual offences will be introduced across England and Wales over the next two years, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced.

Each crown court will be equipped with at least one courtroom dedicated to hearing such cases.

They will offer victims private entrances and waiting rooms to separate them from defendants, and there will be new training for court staff and fixed dates for trials.

Rape Crisis England and Wales welcomed the measures, which are expected to cost around £23m, as a "significant step forward" for the justice system that addressed a number of reforms it had been requesting for many years.