Ken Clarke confronted by rape victim on radio show

RUSHCLIFFE MP and Justice Secretary Ken Clarke found himself at the centre of a political furore today after he was confronted by a rape victim who broke down in tears on a radio show.

The woman called in to the show which was discussing Government plans to halve sentences for some rapists who plead guilty to their crime at the first opportunity.

Rapists can already get a third off their sentence by pleading guilty early, but under the Ministry of Justice proposals the incentive would be increased.

Branding the plan "a disaster", the woman said she had fought through the criminal justice system for two years only for her rapist to have his sentence reduced for pleading guilty – and then go on to commit another offence.

She said: "It happened to me. It's a disaster, especially with sex offenders."

Talking through tears she told Mr Clarke: "I wouldn't wish what I went through, fighting the criminal justice system for 688 days, on my worst enemy."

She added that the attack had a knock-on effect on her career and her family.

But Mr Clarke, speaking on the BBC5Live call-in show, defended the plan saying an extra discount for an early guilty plea could avoid victims being dragged through the further ordeal of a trial.

He said: "People who save you the 600 days of going to the police station, preparing to give evidence... We're saying a 50% discount saves trauma.

"The reason for giving a discount for pleading guilty is so the victim doesn't have to be put through the ordeal again. Rape is actually the strongest example, in my opinion, of why you [increase discounts for those who plead guilty early]."

But after the incident caused a stir Mr Clarke later appeared on television channels saying that where there had been serious, violent rapes judges would still be able to give criminals long sentences.

He later told BBC news: "Where someone leaps out of a wood and grabs someone on a path that is a very grave rape and the person will get a very, very long sentence."

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