Almost 250 rape investigations carried out in the West Midlands last year

Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) figures show that the number of cases flagged for charges in the region which covers West Midlands, Staffordshire, West Mercia and Warwickshire rose from 192 in 2021 to 247 in 2022.

Cases include that of convicted sex offender Wayne Scarratt who is due to be sentenced for attacking a girl in secluded woodland near the Walsall-Lichfield border on August 7 last year after travelling to meet her from Worcestershire.

This case is among a number handled under a new national model now being rolled out across England and Wales today as part of the service's Operation Soteria initiative.

Now CPS lawyers will be increasing the number of rape cases that lead to court appearances as a result of closely working with the area's police forces.

The new approach will see specialist lawyers give early investigative advice to police forces to agree prosecution strategies in the aftermath of a crime being reported, tackle any myths or stereotypes about rape and how victims may behave and fully investigate suspect behaviour, instead of "over-focussing on perceived weaknesses in victim accounts".

The approach is central to a new national operating model being rolled out across England and Wales today learning from what has worked in areas like the West Midlands which have piloted the new approaches as part of Operation Soteria.

It also includes better communication with victims and liaising with independent sexual violence advisors who will increase the support available to victims as they go through the criminal justice process.

Douglas Mackay, from CPS West Midlands, said: “The launch of the national operating model builds on our work over the past few years in the West Midlands and the lessons we have learned from Operation Soteria to improve the handling of rape cases through better victim communication and early investigative advice.

“We are pleased that we can continue to develop and improve the processes which support partnership working with police forces across the area so that more victims of sexual offences can get justice."

Scarratt, of Malvern, struck after befriending the 13-year-old girl hours after befriending her on Instagram and Snapchat. She exchanged messages with the 28-year-old in which she claimed she was 15 and agreed to meet him at a shop.

He bought her vapes as promised and shortly after they went into woodland he grabbed her from behind, punched and stamped on her face and raped her. He then stole her phone, money and bus pass.

The victim managed to alert a passing cyclist who called the police. Scarratt, who had only been released from prison two weeks before the attack, initially denied he had ever met the victim.

He later claimed he thought she was 18, but prosecutors and police proved there were several messages where the victim told him she was a child. Following a trial at Stafford Crown Court he was convicted of rape, two counts of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, common assault, theft and breach of a sexual harm prevention order. He is due to be sentenced this month.