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Rape on Trial

Rape on Trial

By: Dr Candida Saunders
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What actually happens to rape cases in the criminal justice system in England & Wales?


Presented by Dr Candida Saunders, a legal scholar specialising in criminal law, evidence, and procedure, Rape on Trial is a legally informed, criminal justice documentary podcast examining the investigation and prosecution of rape and serious sexual offences. Through a series of individual case studies drawing on real-life police and prosecution case-files and Crown Court trial observations, we see how criminal justice actually works in an adversarial legal system, and how it doesn't.


By looking closely at each stage of the criminal process, at cases that both do and don’t result in prosecution and conviction, we see discretionary pre-trial decision-making in action--how evidence is weighed and assessed, evidential thresholds applied, how courtroom advocates marshal evidence and present their case, how trial judges manage cases and direct juries.


What we see challenges us to reconsider everything we 'know' about rape myths, rape culture, and the criminal process.


Advisory note: Episodes may include detailed accounts of sexual and physical violence drawn directly from witness testimony, police statements, and case files. Listener discretion is advised.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Candida Saunders, 2025-2026
Political Science Politics & Government Social Sciences True Crime
Episodes
  • Season Trailer
    Aug 23 2025

    Introducing Criminal Justice in Action’s first season, Rape on Trial, where we examine how rape and serious sexual offences are investigated and prosecuted in England and Wales: a probing, comprehensive, and, crucially, evidence-based look at how the criminal process works in these cases in practice, when it doesn't, and why it matters.


    Whether you're a student of law, criminology, social sciences, criminal justice, psychology, gender studies or similar, undertaking policing studies or the Bar Practice Course, if you're a criminal justice practitioner or policy maker, or simply someone who is curious to gain a real-world understanding of how the criminal process deals with rape and sexual assault cases in practice, rather than in theory, Rape on Trial is for you.


    Subscribe now to make sure you never miss an episode.

    The research behind Rape on Trial also features in our book: Doak et al, Cross-examination on Trial: Advocacy and Vulnerability in Criminal Trials (BUP 2025).


    https://amzn.to/49oVqG2


    This is an Amazon affiliate link which pays me a small commission.


    If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, please visit our website https://criminaljusticeinaction.com for information about help and support.


    Music: Hopeless Waltz by Alena Smirnova.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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    2 mins
  • 1. Tariq's Trial part 1
    Aug 24 2025

    Want to know what the investigation and prosecution of rape and serious sex offences really looks like in the UK today?


    In this, the first of two introductory episodes taking us straight to the heart of criminal process, we're in a Crown Court somewhere in England & Wales watching a real-life rape trial; the kind of case heard up and down the country every day.


    Tariq* is charged with rape and false imprisonment. It's a case that, according to the mainstream narrative, has little chance of resulting in convictions: one person's word against another's; no forensic evidence; no injuries; delayed report; young, black complainant; a defendant claiming consent and that the allegation was prompted by regret and embarrassment on the complainant's part.


    Join me, Dr Candida Saunders, in the public gallery watch real proceedings in a real rape trial.


    Let's see for ourselves what really happens.


    *To protect the identity of complainants, and all other parties involved in the trial, proceedings are fully and meticulously anonymised.


    Topics covered in this episode: Prosecuting counsel's opening speech; vulnerable and intimidated witnesses under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 and the availability and use of special measures; cross-examination of a rape complainant; agreed evidence; admissibility of 999 call; evidence of recent complaint; agreed facts; evidence of the officer in the case and account of the accused's police interview.


    A must listen for those studying criminal law, criminal evidence and procedure, advocacy and trial strategy, criminal justice, and criminology as well as those interested in forensic linguistics and forensic psychology.


    As a detailed and comprehensive account of real court proceedings in a criminal trial in an adversarial, common law legal system, this is also an excellent resource for international students learning Legal English, the Language of Law, and comparative law.


    Legal English Learning Practice

    Legal English Comprehension Practice

    Legal English Vocabulary

    Applied Legal English

    Legal English in the courtroom

    The research behind Rape on Trial also features in our book: Doak et al, Cross-examination on Trial: Advocacy and Vulnerability in Criminal Trials (BUP 2025).


    https://amzn.to/49oVqG2


    This is an Amazon affiliate link which pays me a small commission.


    If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, please visit our website https://criminaljusticeinaction.com for information about help and support.


    Music: Hopeless Waltz by Alena Smirnova.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 28 mins
  • 2. Tariq's Trial part 2
    Aug 24 2025

    Want to know how the criminal justice system really works in cases of rape and serious sexual offences?


    Rape on Trial continues with the second of our two-part season opening.


    We're back in the public gallery of Crown Court for the final days of Tariq's trial for rape and false imprisonment in a case the conventional wisdom tells us shouldn't result in conviction: one person's word against another's; no forensic evidence; delayed report; young, black complainant; a defendant claiming consent; and an allegation the defence say is motivated by shame and regret.


    Will the jury's deliberations and assessment of the evidence be biased by rape myths and gender stereotypes? Or will the evidence satisfy the jury of Tariq's guilt?


    Topics covered in this episode: defendant's evidence-in-chief and cross-examination; judge's directions in a rape trial; closing speeches; the verdict; the reported impact of rape myths and stereotypes in jury deliberations.


    Rape on Trial is a must listen for those studying criminal law, criminal evidence and procedure, advocacy and trial strategy, criminal justice, and criminology as well as those interested in forensic linguistics and forensic psychology.


    As a detailed and comprehensive account of real court proceedings in a criminal trial in an adversarial, common law legal system, this is also an excellent resource for international students learning Legal English, the Language of Law, and comparative law.


    Legal English Learning Practice

    Legal English Comprehension Practice

    Legal English Vocabulary

    Applied Legal English

    Legal English in the courtroom

    The research behind Rape on Trial also features in our book: Doak et al, Cross-examination on Trial: Advocacy and Vulnerability in Criminal Trials (BUP 2025).


    https://amzn.to/49oVqG2


    This is an Amazon affiliate link which pays me a small commission.


    If you or someone you know has been affected by any of the issues raised in this episode, please visit our website https://criminaljusticeinaction.com for information about help and support.


    Music: Hopeless Waltz by Alena Smirnova.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 23 mins
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