Rape victim’s attackers TWICE as likely to be jailed in some areas as others

RAPE victims face a postcode lottery with their attackers twice as likely to be jailed in some areas as others.

And waiting times for justice are just as imbalanced, with verdicts taking twice as long in some areas.

The average 14-month wait in Sussex is among the longest, damning new figures from Labour reveal.

And Gloucestershire has a 94 per cent conviction rate for rape, compared with a dismal 46.7 per cent in Warwickshire for a similar number of cases.

Labour’s Shadow Solicitor General Ellie Reeves said: “Some rape victims won’t get justice due to where they live in the country.

“This is inexcusable and a complete failure by this government in its duty to protect women.”

Of 128,000 rape claims in England and Wales last year, only 52,210 were reported to police and just 843 led to a charge against the accused.

Official stats show prosecution rates have plummeted by 71 per cent — prompting a grovelling apology from Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, who admitted the woeful rate was “not good enough”.

The Crown Prosecution Service said: “We are beginning to see some progress in the number and proportion of rape cases being charged, which should in time see more rapists held accountable for their devastating actions.”