Burnham launches specialist rape courts in England and Wales 2026

Key Points

• Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged to introduce specialist courts for rape and other sexual crimes in England and Wales.
• There will be at least one courtroom in each Crown Court for these types of cases in the next two years.
• Private entrances and waiting areas will be provided to the victims of sexual crimes so that they are separated from the defendants, which currently is subject to availability.
• The court officials will receive “trauma-informed training,” and each victim will have only one point of contact.
• From October, rape cases will have fixed dates instead of being included in floating lists.
• These changes are expected to cost the government £23 million after the initiative was supported by Labour MP Charlotte Nichols, who had to wait over 1,000 days for her own rape case to be heard.
• Rape Crisis England & Wales appreciated the changes as a “significant step forward,” and the Conservative party demanded wider changes in backlog of cases and jury trials protection in courts.

Wales (Wales Times) September 21, 2026 — Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that specialist courts to deal with rape and serious sexual offences will be rolled out across England and Wales, with every Crown Court set to have at least one dedicated courtroom within two years. The move, estimated to cost £23 million, aims to tackle long delays, low prosecution rates and the retraumatisation of victims by giving rape cases priority, fixed trial dates and purpose-built facilities including private entrances and waiting rooms.

What are the specialist rape courts being rolled out in England and Wales?

The government’s plan establishes specialist courtrooms in every Crown Court in England and Wales to handle rape and serious sexual offence cases, with full rollout expected over the next two years. Each courtroom will be configured to prioritise the needs of victims, including the provision of private entrances and waiting rooms so survivors do not have to encounter defendants or their supporters in shared spaces. While victims already have a right to request such arrangements, availability has been inconsistent; the new measures make these facilities standard in dedicated courtrooms.

Alongside physical changes, court staff will receive specialist “trauma-informed training” designed to improve how they interact with survivors and manage cases involving sexual violence. Each survivor will also be assigned a single point of contact to guide them through the process, reducing confusion and the burden of repeatedly recounting their experience to different officials. From October, trials in these categories will be given fixed dates rather than being placed on floating lists, a practice that has contributed to repeated postponements and extended waits for justice.

How will fixed trial dates and trauma-informed training help victims?

Prime Minister Burnham stated the reforms are intended to “rebalance the scales of justice and put victims first” by addressing systemic delays that have left many survivors waiting years for their cases to be heard. Fixed trial dates are expected to reduce the risk of cases being repeatedly adjourned, a problem that has led some victims to withdraw from the process altogether due to the emotional toll of prolonged uncertainty. By scheduling rape trials on a firm timetable, the Ministry of Justice aims to shorten the overall duration from charge to verdict and improve the reliability of the court experience for survivors.

Trauma-informed training for court staff is designed to ensure that those working in specialist courtrooms understand the psychological impact of sexual violence and can respond in ways that minimise secondary harm. This includes awareness of common rape myths, sensitivity around cross-examination practices and practical measures to make court environments less intimidating. The introduction of a single point of contact for each survivor is intended to provide continuity, so victims are not required to navigate multiple unfamiliar officials while preparing for and attending trial.

What did Andy Burnham and government ministers say about the reforms?

Prime Minister Burnham stated: “For too long, victims of rape and serious sexual offences have felt let down by our justice system. Prosecution rates for rape remain shamefully low, with many victims waiting years for justice.” He added: “This is not good enough. That’s why we are making major changes to rebalance the scales of justice and put victims first. This includes rolling out specialist courtrooms for rape and serious sex offences.” Burnham also emphasised that prosecution-focused reforms would be accompanied by efforts to prevent such crimes, saying: “These changes are long overdue and will make a significant difference, but focusing on prosecution alone will not be enough.”

Lord Chancellor Alex Norris, speaking on the funding and operational changes, said: “The funding we are announcing today will provide that support that victims deserve – delivering courtrooms that are designed with victim needs in mind and providing specialist training for staff to handle these cases with care.” The Ministry of Justice credited Labour MP Charlotte Nichols with helping to drive the reforms after she spoke publicly about her own experience of rape and the delays she faced in the court system.

What role did Charlotte Nichols’ advocacy play in prompting the changes?

The government explicitly credited Labour MP Charlotte Nichols’ “immense strength and bravery” in speaking publicly about being raped and calling for changes to a backlogged system. In March, Ms Nichols waived her automatic right to anonymity to deliver a speech in the House of Commons in which she described waiting more than 1,000 days for her case to go to court. She said the newly announced measures were a “hugely important milestone” that would improve the experience of victims and survivors who are “all too often retraumatised by seeking justice”.

Ms Nichols told The Mirror: “I’m proud that substantive meaningful change has come from waiving my anonymity to speak about my own experiences, and I can’t tell you how much the support of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor means to me, as I know the difference these measures would have made for me and for so many of the survivors I have worked with in recent years.” Her public account has been cited by ministers as a catalyst for accelerating reforms that had been discussed for several years, including the 2024 Labour manifesto commitment to fast-track rape cases with specialist courts.

How have campaigners and opposition parties responded to the announcement?

Rape Crisis England & Wales welcomed the package of measures as a “significant step forward for our justice system” that would bring into force a number of reforms the organisation has been calling for over many years. Chief executive Ciara Bergman said: “Taken together, they reflect the urgency of ensuring that courts are fit for purpose and properly meet the needs of victims and survivors, which is crucial to securing justice.” She highlighted the importance of separate waiting areas, entrances and exits to prevent survivors from being intimidated and distressed by the presence of perpetrators and their supporters.

The Conservative Party described the move to tackle delays in criminal rape trials as “long overdue” but pressed Labour to clarify its position on wider court reforms, including plans to restrict jury trials in some cases. Shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy said:

“The fact that victims have been withdrawing their cases because they have taken too long has been a disgrace.”

He added:

“Labour need to get courts sitting throughout the year, end the delays and clear the backlog – not undermine our right to a trial by jury.”

Victims’ Commissioner Claire Waxman, who first called for specialist courts in 2021, welcomed the measures but warned that specialist courtrooms alone would not resolve the scale of Crown Court backlogs.

Background to the development of specialist rape courts

Specialist sexual violence courts have been piloted in recent years at Crown Courts in Leeds, Newcastle and Snaresbrook, London, with the aim of addressing historically low prosecution and conviction rates for rape cases. Data cited by campaigners indicates that only around 1% of reported rapes result in charges, while the number of sexual offence cases awaiting trial in Crown Courts has risen sharply, with 15,373 sexual offence cases and 4,896 adult rape cases pending as of late March 2026, representing a 121% increase in adult rape cases over three years. The new nationwide rollout builds on these pilots and on long-standing calls from victim support groups for dedicated facilities, fixed trial dates and trauma-informed practices.

The reforms also form part of a broader government agenda on violence against women and girls (VAWG), which includes the launch of a national taskforce to tackle misogyny and a commitment to halve such violence within a decade. Ministers have indicated that all police forces in England and Wales will have specialist rape and sexual offence teams in place by December 2027, a year and a half ahead of the original deadline, alongside the court reforms announced by Mr Burnham.

Predictions: how the rollout may affect survivors, courts and the justice system

If implemented as planned, the specialist rape courts are likely to reduce waiting times for trials and improve the consistency of victim support, which could encourage more survivors to remain engaged with the criminal justice process. Fixed trial dates and dedicated courtrooms may lower the rate of case withdrawals caused by delay and uncertainty, potentially increasing the number of rape cases that reach a verdict. However, as noted by the Victims’ Commissioner, the overall impact will depend on whether wider Crown Court backlogs are addressed, since delays could still prevent many victims from accessing the new specialist facilities in a timely manner.

For court staff and the judiciary, the introduction of trauma-informed training and single points of contact may change day-to-day practices in sexual offence cases, fostering a more victim-centred approach while maintaining fair trial rights for defendants. Over time, if prosecution rates improve and survivor experiences become less adversarial, public confidence in the handling of rape cases could increase, though this will hinge on sustained funding, adequate courtroom capacity and coordination with police and Crown Prosecution Service reforms.