Legal News

The Director of Public Prosecutions for England and Wales, Scotland's Lord Advocate and the Public Prosecutor for Northern Ireland have signed an action plan committing their respective organisations to work together, to react to the changing nature of people trafficking around the world.

The Director of Public Prosecutions for Ireland also took part in the discussions, after CPS figures show that the number of trafficking prosecutions in England and Wales has increased and is the highest ever.

The commitments set out the ways in which the three organisations will work closely together to disrupt networks, prosecute traffickers and safeguard victims' rights within the criminal justice process – including working closely with the police to ensure that the strongest possible cases are prepared and prosecuted.

Staff training will also be reviewed and updated for those involved in investigating and prosecuting people trafficking. The action plan will also ensure the rights of victims, witnesses and potential victims of human trafficking are upheld.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Alison Saunders said:

“Trafficking and slavery are abhorrent crimes – the profile of trafficking continues to change and signing up to these commitments means that we can work more effectively across Britain in order to tackle these crimes.

“We are committed to working with our prosecuting partners and police forces at home and abroad in order to bring the strongest possible cases against those who seek to traffic and enslave.

“We must adapt to meet that challenge – we have seen an increase in trafficking people for the purpose of sham marriages and it is also now the case that the number of victims, many of whom are men, trafficked to be labourers or domestic workers is exceeding those for sexual exploitation.

“We will continue to develop bespoke training for police and prosecutors and share our experiences and learn from each other on how best to prosecute these cases.

“Our focus on these crimes is already paying dividends – this year, we're already on track for more people facing trafficking charges in England and Wales than ever before.

“We have also begun to use new powers such as Slavery and Trafficking Prevention Orders, which impose far reaching and extra-territorial restrictions on the actions of those who have been convicted of trafficking.

“We are also working with national and international partners in priority locations in Europe and Africa, as part of the UK effort to disrupt people smuggling and trafficking networks at their source or in transit.”

Latest figures show that in England and Wales, a total of 183 people were taken to court for trafficking offences between April 2015 and December 2015 – while 187 people were taken to court for trafficking offences for the whole of 2014-15.

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