Two-year extension to Northern Ireland sexual offences legal advisers pilot

Two-year extension to Northern Ireland sexual offences legal advisers pilot

Naomi Long

A pilot scheme providing free, independent legal advice and advocacy to adult complainants in serious sexual offence cases in Northern Ireland has been extended for two further years.

The sexual offences legal advisers (SOLA) pilot scheme will now run until March 2027.

The introduction of the SOLA scheme was one of the key recommendations arising from the Gillen review, intended to support and empower complainants, lower attrition in serious sexual offence cases and increase overall confidence in the criminal justice system.

The extension of the SOLA scheme for adults represents an investment of £390,848 by the Department of Justice as it continues efforts to increase the level of support available to victims of sexual offences.

Justice minister Naomi Long said: “Cases which involve a sexual offence can be some of the most traumatic for a victim to endure. I also recognise the criminal justice system can be difficult to navigate, which is why I am committed to ensuring there is as much support as possible for victims of sexual offences.

“The SOLA scheme is one of a number of transformative measures, services and reforms that have been implemented since the publication of the Gillen Review which is delivering real and meaningful improvements for victims of sexual crime.

“To date, the SOLA scheme has provided free legal advice and support to more than 2,000 adult complainants in serious sexual offence cases, so I am pleased to be able to extend the scheme until March 2027.

“Those services will shortly be extended to child complainants. My officials have engaged with stakeholders, including children and young people, to develop the child SOLA scheme, which will provide general and specific legal advice on their case and ensure that their interests and wishes are communicated to the court.

“I am grateful to Victim Support NI for continuing to operate this service, and to the SOLAs, whose ongoing commitment has had such a positive impact on the experience of many victims.”

Janice Bunting, CEO of Victim Support NI, said: “We are delighted the SOLA service has been extended. Users of the service tell us their SOLAs are reliable and invaluable sources of support during an immensely difficult time in their lives and are sometimes the only reason they have felt able to remain in the criminal justice system.”

Joanne Barnes, CEO of Nexus, said: “We welcome the Justice Minister’s announcement of the two-year extension of the SOLA scheme. The legal system can be a daunting experience for people impacted by sexual trauma, and ensuring specialist support and advice is available is vital to make sure victims and survivors can make informed decisions.

“Our service users have told us they have found advice from SOLAs incredibly useful and that it has provided them with the legal advice they needed to make an informed decision that prioritised their healing.

“We would now like to see victims’ rights to independent legal representation in pre-trial hearings being progressed in line with Gillen recommendations. Together these two legal supports will help to protect the rights of victims in the judicial process and hopefully improve their experience and their outcomes.”

The children’s SOLA service is also expected to be launched in January 2025.

Jenni Boyce, head of NSPCC Northern Ireland’s young witness service, said: “It can be a very daunting and challenging experience for children and families to navigate their way through the criminal justice system, and so we greatly welcome this key provision of legal support for them.

“NSPCC NI contributed to the development of the children’s SOLA pilot, and we see it as an important step by government towards implementing the recommendations in Sir John Gillen’s report into the law and procedures in serious sexual offences in Northern Ireland.

“The children’s SOLA scheme will help young witnesses feel more informed and confident in the criminal justice process. And we hope that, alongside further implementation of Gillen recommendations, children will be encouraged to report crime and remain engaged in their justice journey.

“Five years on from the publication of the Gillen review, we must see progress continuing to be made by the Executive in order to prevent and address the long-lasting negative impact that sexual abuse in childhood can have.”

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