Stalking victim: ‘I couldn’t have testified in open court’

Sir John Gillen is the man behind the idea and the hundreds of other recommendations made in the Gillen Review.

Of those recommendations 62% are fully completed.

In 21 cases where witnesses were scheduled to give evidence from the REC in Belfast, the defendant pleaded guilty without the complainant having to give evidence.

Sir John said that was significant.

“There’s no doubt there are a number of perpetrators who believe that the complainant will fold and won’t go through with it and as soon as they find out that’s not going to happen, they do the deal,” he said.

“That’s an important contributory factor. The proof is in the pudding, a number of people have pleaded guilty once these RECs are available.”

He said the centres were important factors in persuading people to stay within the system and give their evidence.

“We only have these centres in Belfast, Craigavon, and a similar facility in Derry, what about Enniskillen, Newry, Omagh? We need more of them, but of course funding and resources is a problem,” Sir John said.

“But the cost of sexual offences is astronomical. There is no greater crisis in our community than violence against women and girls, and it’s partly a cultural thing that we’ve not yet got to grips with.”