Just 30 of 1,500 rape and serious sexual assault complaints each year result in convictions, Lancastrian councillors have been told.

Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden and his deputy Andy Pratt gave the disappointing figures to a meeting in Blackburn Town Hall on Monday.

They said they hope to improve the figures but pointed out issues in the court process, caused by years of cuts to the justice system, as a major stumbling block in securing convictions.

They told the Police and Crime Panel for Lancashire, which oversees their work, they were working hard to improve the conviction rate, including by creating three dedicated rape and serious sexual assault teams across the county.

Mr Pratt said: "A lot of the problem is around delay in the court process.

"Keeping the witnesses and the victims up to speed is the essence of getting those cases to trial.

"The numbers are very big. It's around 1,500 people a year which is over three people a day.

"Often the cases are very complex and go back a number of years.

"We are seeing a change. We are seeing it getting better.

"It's a slow burn but when our next figures come through I'm, hand on heart hoping, we can make even better progress.

"Nationally the figures are atrocious at getting convictions.

"For our constabulary it's around 80 people last year who actually went for trial for rape and only 30 were convicted.

"So 30 people out of 1,500 is a pretty small number percentage wise."

Mr Snowden said: "There are a number of things that impact on that rate that are within policing's control.

"If you've been a victim of rape and you've been interviewed by a police officer who you don't think believes you, or questions you in a way that makes you feel that they are almost questioning your morals, you can lose victims very early on.

"Everyone thinks of rape as traditional stranger rape - rapes on a night out by a total stranger.

"A lot of sexual assaults and rapes actually happen from people victms already know or are in relationships with.

"The complexity of every individual victim's needs takes a huge toll.

"They might be financially dependent on the offender or they love the offender potentially.

"That's why tailored support is so very, very necessary. You're meeting individuals at a very, very horrible point in their life.

"It's whether they want to go through a potential two-year trial, potentially with their existing partner.

"It is on policing, the criminal justice system, the support services to continuously get better at supporting victims and removing those barriers."