Wellingborough church rape case discontinued after it takes five years to come to court

The man in his 40s, whom this paper is not naming because he will no longer face proceedings, is said to have raped the woman at All Hallows Church in October 2019.

He is not local to this area and denied the charge against him.

The case was first reported to police shortly after it had happened but delays in various parts of the over-worked criminal justice system meant that it was not listed at magistrates’ court until February 2023.

It was then listed for trial at Northampton Crown Court in 2024 but no counsel were available to either prosecute or defend the case so the trial was delayed again.

It was then set for trial this year but the alleged victim told prosecutors that her wellbeing had deteriorated while the case was making its way through the legal system and she not longer wanted to give evidence.

Barrister Jonathan Stone appeared before His Honour Judge David Herbert KC at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (Friday, January 24) to explain that ‘every attempt’ had been made to encourage her to re-engage in the process but that she had declined to do so.

He said that the decision to halt the case had been made ‘at a very, very senior level’ of the Crown Prosecution Service.

The case was discontinued and the charge was dropped.

The delays in the criminal justice system are well-documented. Some victims have to wait years for their cases to come to court, particularly those who are victims of sexual crimes.

In 2022 barristers at Northampton Crown Court walked out in protest at pay and conditions.