Annie, a woman from southern England, is suing the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) after her stepfather's trial for alleged childhood sexual abuse resulted in not guilty verdicts and a hung jury in 2021. Her lawyers at the Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ) argue that the prosecution was so poorly executed it breached her human rights.
Annie's Allegations and Reporting
Annie reported her stepfather to police in 2017, having previously disclosed the abuse at age 18 without action. She decided to come forward after learning he was babysitting young relatives, fearing the abuse would continue. Her case took nearly a decade to reach trial, with multiple cancelled court dates.
Key Complaints Against the CPS
Annie's main complaint is that prosecutors failed to apply to introduce bad character evidence about her stepfather, such as domestic abuse, cruelty, and neglect. This meant her police interview was edited to remove context. A photograph showing her mother's injuries after an assault, a solicitor's letter about violence against another family member, and police reports of domestic abuse were not presented to the jury.
“How can I not talk about the fact that these enormous fights are going on?” Annie said. “We walk on eggshells, it’s more like broken glass, all of our lives since they got married.”
Impact of Missing Evidence
A 2025 inspection report on adult rape cases found that in fewer than two in 10 cases where it was relevant did prosecutors address how bad character could strengthen the case. Annie stated, “Sexual abuse on children doesn’t just happen in a moment in time, in isolation. So often there are things going on in the background. There is violence, there is intimidation, there is domestic abuse.”
Trial Failures and CPS Admission
During the trial, Annie met her CPS-allocated barrister for the first time, who said, “I’m sick of your face, to be honest,” after watching her evidence multiple times. One trial was abandoned after wrong evidence was shown to the jury. The jury found her stepfather not guilty of some assaults and could not reach verdicts on others. The CPS later admitted to a legal error in not introducing bad character evidence, but did not seek a retrial.
“I was so shocked; I just took the letter upstairs and just fell back on the bed,” Annie said of the acquittal notice.
Legal Action and Hope for Change
Kate Ellis, a CWJ solicitor, said, “In Annie’s case there appear to have been so many bases on which the CPS could have applied to introduce the bad character evidence. This is why, we think, the CPS has admitted to getting the law wrong.” Annie hopes her case will ensure other women are listened to. A CPS spokesperson said they cannot comment due to live litigation but are committed to learning.
