Quarter of forces 'still lack basic policies on sexual offences'

A quarter of police forces in England and Wales are yet to implement "basic policies for investigating sexual offences", a report has found, with women still being failed despite promises of change after the murder of Sarah Everard four years ago.

- Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent

The official report by Elish Angiolini follows an inquiry set up after Everard was murdered by a serving police officer, Wayne Couzens, in March 2021. She was abducted off a London street while walking home.

Despite the promises of sweeping changes to make women safer as they walk the streets, Angiolini condemned a "paralysis" hampering improvements even though sexual crimes against women in public were "widespread".

The second part of her report published yesterday says recommendations from the first part, published more than a year ago, are yet to be implemented, such as a ban on joining the police for those cautioned or convicted of sex offences.

It says the police and the government do not know the scale of attacks on women in public spaces by strangers, and the promises that cascaded from those in power after the horror of Everard's murder are not being met.

In her report Angiolini says: "Twenty-six per cent of police forces have yet to implement basic policies for investigating sexual offences including indecent exposure."

The names of forces without policies were supplied to the inquiry by the National Police Chiefs' Council, and at the time were Greater Manchester, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire, Cleveland and the Met, which has since produced the policy needed.