Legal breakthrough for rape survivors

She worked with the campaign group Open Justice For All to secure the agreement, from the Ministry of Justice.

It removes a cost which victims previously had to pay if they wanted a copy of the comments made by judges when passing sentence - giving the reasons for the punishment handed down.

That has been running a Rape and Sexual Offences Pilot Scheme to allow victims access to free sentencing remarks.

Ms Champion tabled a series of Parliamentary Questions to apply pressure on the Government to make the scheme permanent.

The Minister for Justice has now written to confirm the scheme would be rolled out permanently, following the publishing of the Independent Sentencing Review.

When someone pleads guilty or is found guilty in a Crown Court, the judge makes sentencing remarks, which include their decision and reasons for imposing the sentence.

Now, individuals will be eligible to request a free transcript of these remarks if they are a victim of rape or sexual offence.

Ms Champion said: “Victims should not have to pay a penny to learn more about the sentencing of their offenders, but for too long they have had to pay extortionate fees, sometimes in the thousands.

“The permanent roll-out of this vital free transcripts scheme will give much needed closure and reassurance to victims and survivors that justice has been served. I am proud to have worked alongside the brave survivors who made this possible.”

Founder of the Open Justice For All campaign and a survivor, Charlotte, said:“Transcripts are essential in the healing journey. They make us feel empowered and believed. I want to thank all the MPs and victims/survivors that supported me in this campaign.

“This is a great first step in ensuring that victims feel that justice has been served. We want to ask the Government to next consider extending this to all victims and to include the judges summing up, as victims with a not guilty verdict deserve just as much to understand what was said in their trial.”