Campaigners are threatening to take the Crown Prosecution Service to court over claims that sexual offences cases are being dropped without good reason.

A coalition of women’s organisations, represented by the Centre for Women’s Justice, said the CPS has covertly changed its policy on rape cases, leading to a major fall in criminal charges.

While rape cases taken on by the CPS in the 12 months to 2017/18 dropped by 23 per cent, police-recorded rape over the same period rose by 16 per cent.

While rape cases taken on by the CPS in the 12 months to 2017/18 dropped by 23 per cent, police-recorded rape over the same period rose by 16 per cent

The End Violence Against Women coalition said this change in practice, and the lack of cases going to court, discriminates against women.

It says it has a dossier of more than 20 cases which were dropped for ‘unjustified’ reasons, including one victim who was raped at knifepoint by her boyfriend.

The CPS prosecutor dropped the case, saying that WhatsApp messages the woman had sent to placate her attacker could be misinterpreted by the jury, campaigners said

The CPS prosecutor dropped the case, saying that WhatsApp messages the woman had sent to placate her attacker could be misinterpreted by the jury, campaigners said.

They will submit a ‘letter before action’ to the CPS today, urging a change in the handling of serious sexual offence cases.

EVAW coalition co-director Sarah Green said: ‘CPS leaders have quietly changed their approach to decision-making in rape cases, switching from building cases based on their ‘‘merits’’ back to second-guessing jury prejudices.

‘This is extremely serious and is having a detrimental impact on women’s access to justice. We have begun legal action.’

A CPS spokesman said: ‘We always seek to prosecute where there is sufficient evidence to do so.’