THE rate of prosecution for rape in North Yorkshire has dropped by 16 per cent in the last five years.

Figures released on Thursday by the Office for National Statistics looked at CPS decisions to charge from the year ending March 2014 to the year ending March 2018, and showed 61 per cent of rape cases led to charges in North Yorkshire last year, compared with 77 per cent in 2013/2014.

The number of charges remained similar, however - 41 last year, compared with 40 in 2013/2014 - but the number of pre-charge decisions rose from 52 to 67.

Figures showed it now takes longer for suspects to be charged over sexual offences in Yorkshire and Humberside, with the average time rising by 54 per cent - from 47.48 days in 2015/2016, to 49.96 in 2016/2015 and 73.08 days in 2017/2018. This is higher than the national average of 48 per cent in the same period.

Alexa Bradley from the centre for crime and justice at the ONS, said: “The report highlights that investigating sexual offences is challenging. Many offences don’t proceed further than the police investigation due to evidential difficulties. In addition, investigations are becoming more complex due to an increase in evidence from phones, tablets, computers and social media.”

The report also showed there had been a 10 per cent increase in the number of sexual offences recorded by North Yorkshire Police in 2017/2018 compared to 2016/2017 - up from 1,424 to 1,562.

According to the ONS, the volume of sexual offences recorded by the police “has almost tripled in recent years”, but that figure largely reflected improvements in police recording and more victims being willing to report.

The ONS said the decrease in the proportion of cases resulting in a charge or summons outcome may be, in part, due to resource pressures on the police following the substantial increase in recorded sexual offences, including non-recent cases which take longer to investigate, and offences “have also become increasingly complex, which can increase the time it takes to consider all the evidence”.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said it was still “essential that victims of rape and sexual abuse have the confidence to come forward and report incidents to the police”.

He said: “We can reassure victims that every report is fully investigated.

“We have specially-trained officers and other support services to help people deal with the trauma they have encountered, and may continue to experience long after an offence has happened. Your information may also help to protect other victims and help the police to build up a wider picture of someone’s offending.”

*To report a sexual crime to the police phone 101 or 999 if you are in immediate danger. If you are worried about a child, phone the NSPCC helpline on 0800 8005000.