DPP ditches more than 3,000 cases over insufficient evidence

Court cases were dropped against more than 3,000 suspected criminals last year because of insufficient evidence, official figures revealed today.

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) said another 284 people escaped the law over concerns about public interest.

James Hamilton stated a record 16,140 files were received by his office during 2008, with the vast majority relating to criminal cases.

Of 11,274 criminal files examined, a third were sent to the District Court and another third were prosecuted in the Circuit or Central Criminal Court before a judge and jury.

However, he directed that one in three cases be dropped – with 77% found to have insufficient evidence.

Others were dismissed because of the juvenile diversion programme, expired time limit, undue delay and sympathetic grounds.

Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) last week revealed just one in three rapes reported to gardaí make it to court – and stated authorities blamed a lack of evidence as the main reason for dropping prosecutions.

The study showed cases where women were attacked by someone they know are also less likely to be prosecuted than assaults in public by a stranger, despite being more common.

Elsewhere, Mr Hamilton said a pilot scheme to give reasons for a decision not to prosecute in cases where there has been a fatality, which was due to end in January, may be extended.

He revealed although it has been running for a year only a small number of requests have been received because of the time lag between an offence being committed, its investigation, the submission of a file and the eventual decision.

“It seems likely that the pilot will be extended beyond this as it is unlikely that there will be sufficient material to make a full evaluation of the pilot by that date,” said Mr Hamilton.

“Reaction to date to the introduction of the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Assuming the pilot project is successful, the next step will be to examine the feasibility of extending the scheme to other categories of offence.”

The DPP maintained it took less than two weeks to issue a direction in half of the files it was handed, with another third dealt with within three months.

While the outcomes of the majority of files sent forward for prosecution last year are not yet known, the office revealed eight out of 10 murder and serious sexual assault cases dealt with in the Central Criminal Court resulted in a conviction in 2006.

Around 98% of 2,064 cases finalised in the Circuit Criminal Court led to a conviction.