Sexual assault survivors 'paying the price' for delays in bringing offenders to justice, Leeds charity says

Survivors of rape and sexual offences are “paying the price” for delays in bringing offenders to justice, a Leeds charity has said, adding “further trauma” to the original assault.

The CEO of Leeds Women’s Aid, which supports victims of domestic violence and abuse, has spoken out after a Leeds judge slammed an “inexplicable” delay in bringing a man who sexually assaulted a woman to court.

Christopher Benjamin, 44, was sentenced at Leeds Crown Court this week, over three years after the offence took place.

Despite admitting the assault to the police, the court heard it took 18 months for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and West Yorkshire Police to formally charge him.

Nik Peasgood, CEO of Leeds Women’s Aid, said: “Sadly, this case is not unusual. Every week, we support victim-survivors who have done everything asked of them - reporting to police, giving statements, waiting for updates – only to be met with months, sometimes years, of silence while their case sits in a queue.

“An 18-month wait to charge someone who had already admitted the offence isn't just a systems failure; it's a further trauma layered on top of the original assault.”

Benjamin, of Hamilton Avenue, Chapeltown, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years. While handing down the sentence, Judge Neil Clark criticised the delay in bringing the case to court, and said: “I cannot understand for the life of me why it took the CPS and police so long.”

The CPS said it first received a file from West Yorkshire Police in November 2023, and set the force an action plan for further investigative material. After receiving more evidence, another action plan was set in April 2024.

A charge of sexual assault was authorised in August that year.

Benjamin appeared at Leeds Magistrates Court in October 2024 and initially pleaded not guilty, before changing his plea on the first day of his trial last month.

Nik added that the wait in bringing offenders through the justice system can have a profound impact on survivors.

“It keeps them in limbo, unable to move on, often still living in fear of the person who harmed them,” she said.

“For many, the process itself, as well as the assault, can cause lasting damage, and it's one of the most common reasons survivors disengage from the justice system, or decide not to report at all.

“West Yorkshire needs significant additional specialist capacity for rape and serious sexual offences built into both policing and the CPS, and enforceable timeline standards rather than guidance that can be missed without consequence.

“Until that happens, victim-survivors will keep paying the price for delays that are entirely within the system's control to fix."

West Yorkshire Police and the CPS were approached for comment.

Anyone impacted by rape or sexual assault can contact the Support After Rape Leeds helpline on 0808 802 3344, via text on 07860022880, or via email at [email protected].

Leeds Women’s Aid offers a 24/7 helpline on 0113 246 0401.