DPP welcomes court's decision rejecting idea counselling notes need to be disclosed

Ms Pierse said her office deals with around 17,000 files a year, and it makes prosecution decisions in all serious cases and conducts prosecutions in the higher courts. Picture: iStock

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has said she “very much welcomes” a recent Supreme Court judgment rejecting the notion that disclosure of counselling notes in sexual offence cases is required.

The potential handing over of the highly sensitive and private information from therapy sessions with victims of sexual abuse has long been an issue of grave concern among therapists and rape support groups, while also being a source of anxiety and distress for survivors.