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Older victims of crime receive good service from CPS, says HMCPSI

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Prosecutors are providing a good service to older victims of crime but court delays risk leaving vulnerable people waiting too long for justice, according to HMCPSI.

His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI) has today [4 March 2026] published its inspection of how the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) handles crimes against older people.

Inspectors found that prosecutors generally provide a good service to older victims, correctly identifying vulnerability and making appropriate applications for special measures to help victims give their best evidence.

In 94% of cases reviewed by inspectors, bail and custody decisions properly protected victims, and 88.5% of trial cases inspected included appropriate special measures applications.

However, inspectors found that court delays pose risks for older victims, who may face declining health while waiting for cases to conclude.

Inspectors also highlighted that the current system for tracking these cases is complicated and prone to error, with around a third of cases incorrectly flagged.

HMCPSI Chief Inspector Anthony Rogers said:

“Older victims face real barriers when it comes to reporting crime and navigating the justice system. Many feel fear or shame and when court delays mean waiting months or even years for a case to conclude, the impact can be devastating.

“These are people who deserve to be seen, heard and supported and that starts with making sure the system is attentive to their needs.

“CPS generally provide a good service to older victims of crime but there are improvements to be made. That is why I am recommending the CPS bring its definition of an older victim down from 65 to 60, while also removing the requirement to treat these offences as quasi hate crimes so they can continue to support all older victims throughout the prosecution process, focusing on individual needs.”

The inspection examined 168 cases and involved consultation with Age UK and Hourglass to understand the experiences of older victims.

Veronica Gray, Deputy CEO and Head of Policy at Hourglass, said:

“We are grateful to HMCPSI for engaging closely with Hourglass throughout this inspection and for taking older victims’ lived experiences seriously. The report rightly recognises the commitment of prosecutors, while also being clear that the current framework is too complex and is producing inconsistent outcomes.

“We are particularly pleased to see our recommendations reflected in the inspectorate’s findings, including lowering the age threshold to 60 and simplifying the approach so that all older victims are consistently recognised and supported. We urge the CPS to adopt the recommendations in full and look forward to continuing to work constructively with them to support implementation.”

The report makes three recommendations for the CPS to implement by September 2026:

  • simplifying the definition of crimes against older people to cover all victims aged 60 and over;
  • removing the requirement to treat these cases as ‘quasi-hate crimes’ and instead focusing on individual victim vulnerability;
  • setting clearer standards for data collection.