News

The Association of Chief Police Officers’ campaign for reform the criminal justice system, has been backed by learning difficulty charity Mencap, writes Clare Jerrom.

Acpo believes vulnerable witnesses are not protected by modern trials which have become too much of a tactical game played between lawyers, rather than a search for truth. The association finds victims of crime feel let down by the system when criminal offenders are not held to account for their crimes.

It calls for courts to be designed to prevent witness intimidation, and rigorous pre-trial preparation to prevent unnecessary calling of witnesses.

The association urges more use of relevant technology to allow witnesses to be remote from court, and stresses that respect should be given to witnesses and victims.

Mencap’s director of public affairs David Congdon said: "We support ACPO’s calls for a radical reform of the criminal justice system to ensure that it totally meets the needs of victims of crime including people with a learning disability."

"Mencap has been aware of too many cases in which the criminal justice system has not been geared up to take seriously the evidence of those with learning disabilities," he added.

Mencap’s report ‘Living in Fear’ revealed that nearly 90 per cent of people with a learning difficulty experienced bullying in the past year. Research has also shown that there are at least 1,400 incidences of sexual abuse against people with a learning difficulty every year.