Sexual assault crisis - Justice delayed is justice denied

A MAJOR investigation into delays in the investigation and prosecution of murder and rape cases in the Republic has come to some damning conclusions.

Astonishingly, according to the National Crime Council, the time between a case being sent for trial and the trial starting is three times longer here than in England or Wales and almost five times longer than in the North.

Justice delayed is justice denied and by any standard, the blatant delays highlighted by the first report of its kind are unacceptable. Significantly, it argues that waiting times could be halved in bringing rape and murder cases to trial.