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| Northumbria Police reopen 54 'no crime' rape cases | Northumbria Police reopen 54 'no crime' rape cases |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| About one third of rape cases dismissed by Northumbria Police in the past three years are now being reinvestigated, the force has revealed. | About one third of rape cases dismissed by Northumbria Police in the past three years are now being reinvestigated, the force has revealed. |
| The force is re-examining 54 out of 153 rape inquiries classed as "no crime" since October 2011. | The force is re-examining 54 out of 153 rape inquiries classed as "no crime" since October 2011. |
| Alleged victims will be contacted and 48 officers who carried out initial investigations have been told their cases have been reopened. | Alleged victims will be contacted and 48 officers who carried out initial investigations have been told their cases have been reopened. |
| One man has already been arrested on suspicion of rape in a reopened case. | One man has already been arrested on suspicion of rape in a reopened case. |
| An audit previously said some rape cases may have been incorrectly "no crimed". | |
| Nearby Cleveland Police also said it would reopen 14 such cases from recent years, after an audit highlighted the same issue with the force. | |
| Home Office guidance says some cases are "no crimed" when it is determined by police that no crime actually took place. | |
| Under Home Office rules, circumstances of "no crime" recording include when a crime is considered to have been recorded in error, or when additional verifiable information becomes available that determines no crime was committed. | |
| Rape officers moved | Rape officers moved |
| Ch Supt Neil Adamson from Northumbria Police said: "We have determined 54 cases require further investigation. | |
| "These have been reopened as crimes and each case will be reinvestigated by the review team. | "These have been reopened as crimes and each case will be reinvestigated by the review team. |
| "This will include contacting the victims in these identified cases and our main priority is to support them through this process." | "This will include contacting the victims in these identified cases and our main priority is to support them through this process." |
| Any officers from the initial investigations still within the Rape Investigation Team have been temporarily moved to other units "to ensure professional standards are maintained", he added. | Any officers from the initial investigations still within the Rape Investigation Team have been temporarily moved to other units "to ensure professional standards are maintained", he added. |
| He said: "This does not necessarily mean they are guilty of serious issues, this is entirely dependent on the findings of the investigation." | He said: "This does not necessarily mean they are guilty of serious issues, this is entirely dependent on the findings of the investigation." |
| Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Vera Baird said: "Where mistakes have been made and, all the more if there has been any falling short of duty, the police will learn the lessons." | Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Vera Baird said: "Where mistakes have been made and, all the more if there has been any falling short of duty, the police will learn the lessons." |
| A 50-year-old man has been arrested in the Slatyford area of Newcastle in connection with a rape in March and has been bailed. | A 50-year-old man has been arrested in the Slatyford area of Newcastle in connection with a rape in March and has been bailed. |