One in five rape and attempted rape trials end in not proven verdict

There were 2,255 reports of rape or attempted rape in 2017/18, a 20 per cent increase on 1,878 reports in 2016/17.

Of the 2,255 reports, 247 (11 per cent) resulted in prosecution, a slight fall from the 13 per cent prosecution rate in 2016/17, and 107 (43 per cent) ended in conviction - slightly up on the 39 per cent conviction rate the year before.

The majority (55 per cent) of rape and attempted rape prosecutions ended in acquittal, compared with a six per cent acquittal rate for all crimes and offences.

In 48 rape and attempted rape cases (21 per cent) in 2017/18, a verdict of not proven was returned.