---

Sexual Offences: Law Reporting

Answer

Currently, victims of rape and other sexual offences and bereaved families of homicide victims can already request a free copy of the judge’s sentencing remarks. Building on this, the Government is taking significant action to go further. From Spring 2027, all victims who want them will be able to request a free copy of Crown Court sentencing remarks directly relevant to their case. This is a major step forward for transparency and victims’ access to information.

At this stage, the Government does not have plans to extend free provision to additional categories of court transcripts. Our immediate priority is to ensure that the expansion of free Crown Court sentencing remarks is delivered effectively, so that victims can truly benefit from this significant reform.

However, we are focused on driving improvements for the longer term. This is why we are undertaking a study looking into the feasibility of using Artificial Intelligence to transcribe court hearings. The findings will identify what is possible with AI transcription in a Crown Court setting, providing an evidence base for future decisions about how transcript provision could be expanded in a way that is operationally sustainable and delivers real benefits for victims.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

622

Session

2026-27

Subjects

Fees and charges Law reporting Sexual offences

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk