Call to scrap alternative to bail where suspects of rape go free for years

Hundreds of suspected rapists are spending years released under investigation, under a system that the government has been urged to scrap as it “doesn’t serve anyone’s interests apart from the police”.

- Hannah Al-Othman

Introduced under the Policing and Crime Act 2017, the released under investigation (RUI) system allows police an alternative to bail, without the set timeframes or conditions attached to police bail.

However, it has meant that suspects are often spending many years “under investigation”, with no statutory time limits holding the police to account on charging decisions.

Campaigners have called for RUI to be scrapped, saying it leads to uncertainty and distress for the victim and the accused, and, particularly when coupled with delays in the court system, can result in evidence deteriorating and victims withdrawing their support for prosecutions, creating a barrier to justice being done.

It is a particular problem in cases such as rape and sexual assault, in which there is often little physical evidence, and which often rely heavily on the account of the victim.