My first thoughts are with the victims and survivors of Simon Levy, their families, and with every other victim who looks to the criminal justice system for protection.

They were entitled to expect better. In this case, the court was not given all the information it should have had when decisions were being made about Simon Levy. The CPS did not meet the standard the public should expect and we have been clear that this was a serious failing. Once again want to say I am sorry for this.

I understand why this shocking case has caused such deep concern. It has shaken confidence in the way the criminal justice system protects women and girls, and I recognise the pain and anger that will be felt by victims, families and the wider public.

We must accept what went wrong, learn from it, and take clear action together so the same mistakes are not repeated. That means the CPS, police and courts working together effectively, with a shared responsibility to protect the public and to make sure the right information is available at the right time.

The criminal justice system failed to stop Simon Levy. And although we recognise it is under significant pressure, it cannot be allowed to fail again. No single agency can fix that alone: the public rightly expects police, prosecutors and courts to work together, share information properly, identify risk quickly and act decisively when women and girls may be in danger.

The public do not want to see different parts of the system blaming each other. They want to know lessons have been learned and action is being taken to implement those lessons.

The criminal justice system must work collectively, practically and urgently to keep women and girls safe. That is what we are focused on: improving the way information is shared, strengthening decision-making at key points, and making sure lessons from this case lead to real change across the system.

What we are doing now

We have already begun making changes following the issues identified in the handling of this case. Prosecutors in busy remand courts will receive more support so they have the time, information and help they need to make the right decisions.

We are providing further training and strengthening checks on bail, remand hearings and risk management. This will focus on cases where there may be a pattern of offending, where victims may be at serious risk, and where prosecutors need to act quickly but carefully.

We are working with the police to improve how information is shared, so that prosecutors, the court and the defence have the right information when bail decisions are made.

Our wider work to tackle violence against women and girls

Tackling violence against women and girls is a personal priority for me and also for the CPS. Victims must be able to trust that their cases will be handled properly, that risks will be taken seriously, and that dangerous offenders will be dealt with robustly.

The CPS has already made much progress. Last year alone, we charged more rape suspects than at any point in the last 20 years. Prosecutors charged nearly four out of every five rape cases referred by police, the highest rate on record. In the same year six out of ten cases resulted in a conviction.

We are also working with the police to reduce investigation times and decision-making times, so that cases can get before the courts much more swiftly.

CPS prosecutors care deeply about their work and, thanks to improved relationships with police, we have made strong progress in increasing both referrals and charges.

But progress in other cases does not reduce the seriousness of what happened here. It makes it even more important that we keep improving, so victims can have confidence that their cases will be dealt with properly from the start.

We have renewed our focus on protecting communities by making sure prosecutors seek to keep dangerous offenders in custody where the legal test is met. We have updated our guidance so prosecutors give courts the right information as early as possible, including the victim’s views where they are relevant.

That guidance also makes clear that prosecutors should tell the court about a defendant’s pattern of bad behaviour, even where it has not led to a conviction, if it is relevant to the court’s decision.

We are tackling outdated misconceptions about rape head on. Prosecutors are told to focus on the suspect’s actions, not on unfair assumptions about how victims should behave. This is central to Operation Soteria – a joint approach with policing to improve how we tackle rape and serious sexual offending, and our national approach to adult rape cases.

Our five-year strategy to tackle violence against women and girls also looks at how different types of offending can overlap, especially where domestic abuse is part of the picture. That helps prosecutors understand risk more clearly and build stronger cases.

We are also working with police earlier in investigations and reviewing the quality of advice given under our rape action plan. Close collaboration from the moment a rape is reported is vital if we are to build stronger cases, bring more cases to court and deliver better outcomes for victims.

In London, our dedicated homicide prosecutors have a strong working relationship with the Metropolitan Police’s Major Investigation Team and are ready to provide early advice whenever it is requested.

We also have an ongoing focus on bail applications and bail appeals, with training for prosecutors that emphasises risk assessment in high-risk cases. Further training for prosecutors across London is already being delivered.

Trust is earned through action. I want victims to know that we have listened, that we are making changes, and that we will keep working to improve the way these cases are handled.