A new sex crimes squad of detectives will support police officers across the Thames Valley investigate allegations of rape and serious sexual offending.
The force said that the team of specialist detectives – launched in September - would provide ‘practical help and advice’ to local officers and civilian investigators.
Det Supt Stuart Bosley, who will lead the team, said: “Since the team’s launch, we have provided practical support to 19 investigations across the force; preparing files, carrying out suspect interviews, video recorded interviews with victims and carrying out CCTV enquiries.
“We have also embedded ourselves within two local policing areas for a week at a time to review and audit all their sexual offence investigations and to offer advice and support. This will continue in other areas across the Thames Valley in the new year.”
The force said the number of sexual offence charges brought between April and September this year was more than double the figure in the same period in 2021.
In its review of Thames Valley Police published in the spring, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary said the force was correctly recording ‘most’ sexual offences but that ‘reports of rape weren’t always recorded properly’.
However, the inspectors praised a process where victims of serious sexual assaults were given a ‘timeline’ explaining what to expect during an investigation and subsequent court proceedings, which can sometimes last years rather than weeks or months.
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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.
To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward
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