'It's no wonder victims don't come forward' - Antrim mother slams delays in rape case

AN Antrim mother says she feels that her daughter was ‘failed’ after a rape case was dropped twice after months of delays.

Siobhan Robb’s daughter Caitlin alleged she was raped in 2023 and made statements to the PSNI.

After enquires made by the Antrim Guardian, the Public Prosecution Service said that it received an investigation file from police 14 months later, regarding the alleged sexual offence in Antrim.

A decision not to prosecute was issued just a few months later, in late 2024.

The PPS has said that following a request (from Caitlin’s mother Siobhan Robb) to review the decision, all the available evidence was considered and the Test for Prosecution applied afresh.

Following this process, a decision to prosecute was taken in early 2025 and the suspect’s legal representative was informed. Further evidence was then sought - but nine months later, the alleged suspect passed away.

The news comes at a time when multiple court cases are not able to proceed because of the current impasse within the criminal justice system.

Mrs Robb said: “My daughter often told me that she felt failed, and now I know what failure feels like.

“I am really not surprised when I hear that victims do not come forward.

“The system needs to change, if not for ourselves, then for other people.”

A spokesperson for the Katie Trust charity, which has been supporting the family said: “Even where there is no suggestion of individual fault, systemic delay can have very real human consequences.

“It is vital that victims who come forward to report serious offences have confidence that their cases will be progressed in a timely and transparent manner. Prolonged uncertainty can compound trauma and discourage others from seeking justice.”

See more in the paper this week.