Big rise in numbers using crime support group

The organisation which supports victims of crime in court has seen a 27% increase in the number of people availing of its services over the past two years. Victim Support at Court (V-SAC) assisted 1,365 people in 552 criminal proceedings, with more than half of those involved in rape or sexual assault cases.

New figures contained in the organisation’s 2018 annual report show that 22% of those it assisted were attending proceedings relating to murder, manslaughter or attempted murder, something it said was “not unusual”.