Number of sex-crime reports drops

The children's charity Barnardos has expressed its concern about the fall in the number of young people reporting sex crimes since the new laws on statutory rape were introduced.

Figures from the Department of Justice show that cases reported to the Gardaí since the change in the law have fallen by 65%.

Just nine cases were reported in the second quarter of this year, compared with 26 cases in the first three months.

The government passed emergency legislation after the Supreme Court ruled in May that it was unconstitutional for a man who had sex with a girl under the age of 15 to be found automatically guilty.

Barnardos spokesperson Nora Gibbons says they had feared this would lead to a drop in reported cases and highlighted that it was essential that children feel protected by the courts.