THE head of a rape charity has responded to last week’s news that nearly 20 per cent of crimes reported to Devon & Cornwall Police go unrecorded.

An assessment published last week by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary found the force is only recording about 82 per cent of crimes - meaning more than 17,400 crimes are not recorded each year.

Overall, HMIC judged Devon and Cornwall Police to be ‘inadequate’ when assessing the the extent to which recorded crime information can be trusted.

Her Majesty’s Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams said: ‘These are not simply administrative tasks that Devon and Cornwall Police is getting wrong. I was most concerned to find that the force had failed to record reports of rape, serious sexual assault against both adults and children and offences of serious assault and human trafficking.’

Now chief executive of Devon Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Services Fee Scott has said: ’This report into the performance of Devon and Cornwall Police provides sober reading for someone considering reporting to the police, and it is the most recent in a long line of statutory reports and widely-reported criminal trials.

’Victims of sexual offences are exposed to all that is written about the police, the barristers and the jury, and they read the media and social coverage. The fear of not being believed, of their case not going to court, and of going to court with all its terrors of cross-examination, the fear of being named on social media, of reading online comments about you; all of these thoughts are in the head of a victim when they consider reporting. No wonder only around 15 per cent ever do.’

She continued: ’In our organisation, we are very aware of just how much the values and processes of the police have changed in the last 10 years or so, nowhere more so that in Devon and Cornwall. There is a much more victim-focused approach and much greater sensitivity around the issues.

’However, we hear enough stories about encounters with the police from our service users to know that they do not always get it right. And not getting it right can be disastrous.

’If your greatest fear is not being believed, then having your crime go unrecorded, or no further action being taken hits really hard.’

Devon and Cornwall’s Conservative police and crime commissioner Alison Hernandez has urged victims of crime not to be discouraged from reporting crimes to police.

She said: ‘Victims of crime must not be discouraged from reporting what has happened to them. If they report a crime there will be people available to help.

‘I have been assured by the chief constable that all non-recorded instances where rape was reported were reviewed and contact made with the victim to explain the process and ensure they were properly cared for.

‘I take the HMIC report very seriously and fully accept that Devon and Cornwall Police needs to improve in this important area.

‘It is important that the public has confidence in our crime statistics but even more important is that we provide every victim of crime with a good service.

‘This is a complicated area but too many errors are being made. The chief constable assures me that progress of remedial action has already been made and that it will continue as a priority.’

Deputy chief constable James Vaughan from Devon and Cornwall Police emphasised the force ‘places victims at the hart of policing.’

DCC Vaughan said: ‘There is no doubt learning from the HMIC report around crime data integrity and I accept we and other forces have got to ensure we have better processes in place to accurately record all crime.

‘Recording crime in the right way is important as is ensuring that we have integrity in our data systems and how they are used. However, what is more important to me is ensuring we give victims of crime and those coming into contact with their local police a first class service.

‘We don’t believe that in the vast majority of circumstances we have not supported a victim. This is more about recording a crime, helping a victim, but then not properly updating systems around supplementary crimes related to the same investigation.

‘We record in excess of 80,000 crimes every year in Devon and Cornwall. The HMIC has said today that more than 80 per cent of those are crimed appropriately and properly. While it is of concern that some crimes are being recorded differently and this needs to be addressed, my focus remains firmly on protecting and safeguarding our communities.’

Devon Rape Crisis offers support to women over the age of 13 and men from 13-25. The charity runs an anonymous helpline on 01392 208756, with anonymous email support available from [email protected] .