New data has revealed the dramatic rise in the number of sexual assaults being reported to police across East Lancashire and the devastatingly low number of incidents which have resulted in a charge or summons. 

Sexual assaults recorded against both males and females have risen, in particular, in two East Lancashire boroughs over the last five years.

Blackburn with Darwen by far has seen the highest number of sexual assaults reported to the police since 2019 (40), with the number of reports increasing each year to 2023 (54).

Meanwhile the number of sexual assaults reported in Pendle over the last five years has also risen, from 18 in 2019 to 25 in 2023.

But in East Lancashire, as a whole, out of the 775 sexual assaults reported against both males and females since 2019, just 57 have resulted in a charge, summons or postal requisition.

READ MORE: Record number of sexual offences recorded in Blackburn with Darwen

Sexual assaults on females reported to the police in the last five years totals 463 in East Lancashire.

This is split into 142 in Blackburn with Darwen; 94 in Burnley; 78 in Hyndburn; 62 in Pendle; 25 in Ribble Valley; and 62 in Rossendale.

Sexual assaults on males reported to the police in the last five years totals 312 in East Lancashire.

This is split into 96 in Blackburn with Darwen; 62 in Burnley; 55 in Hyndburn; 43 in Pendle; 31 in Ribble Valley; and 25 in Rossendale.

Between 2019 and 2023, the number of sexual assaults reported to police against both males and females has decreased in Burnley and Hyndburn.

The Ribble Valley and Rossendale have seen decreases in the number of sexual assaults reported to police against males, but in the Ribble Valley a rise in those reported against females has been reported.

There has been no change in sexual assaults on females reported to police in Rossendale since 2019, except in 2020 when 20 such offences were reported, but this figure dropped back down to12 in 2023.

Of the 312 sexual assault offences on males reported to police in East Lancashire between 2019 and 2023, one resulted in a caution and 13 in a charge.

Two hundred and twenty-three of the reports were prevented from further action being taken for various different reasons, included but not limited to – lack of evidence or the claimant withdrawing their complaint.

Thirty-eight of the reports resulted in a case being closed by the police with no suspect identified, while 17 resulted in action being undertaken by a different agency.

One report ended with a suspect being charged with an alternate offence, and five resulted in community resolutions.

Twelve reports of sexual assaults against males in East Lancashire remain active.

Of the 463 sexual assault offences against females reported to police in East Lancashire, one was cancelled and just 44, or 10 per cent resulted in a charge or summons.

A whopping 316 reports though were prevented from further action being taken, for reasons mentioned above, including but not limited to – lack of evidence or the claimant withdrawing their complaint.

Twenty-seven reports were closed by the police, six resulted in a suspect being charged with a different offence, and 24 reports resulted in action being taken by another agency.

Two adult cautions were handed out, and four community resolutions reached.

Of the 463 reports of sexual assaults against females in East Lancashire, 32 remain under active investigation.

Some of the sexual assaults reported to the police between 2019 and 2023 could not be actioned because the suspect had died or prosecution had not been in the public interest.

In December, the Lancashire Telegraph reported that just 30 out of 1,500 rape and serious sexual assault complaints made in Lancashire each year result in convictions.

READ MORE: Just 30 of 1,500 Lancs rape complaints get convictions

Police and Crime Commissioner Andrew Snowden and his deputy Andy Pratt gave the disappointing figures to a meeting in Blackburn Town Hall on Monday, December 4.

Mr Pratt said a lot of the problem resulted from a delay in the court process.

He also told councillors that nationally the figures for convictions were “atrocious”.

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

Earlier this month, a Preston man was charged following reports of an alleged rape in Burnley.

In January, police released an appeal after reports that a person reportedly pulled down a woman’s trousers and underwear in Rawtenstall.

In November last year, an appeal was launched after a young woman was sexually assaulted on a bus in Darwen.

In June 2023 bogus Blackburn taxi driver, Nazim Azmal was charged with a series of rapes and sexual assaults across the county. He is due to be sentenced later this year.

A spokesperson for Lancashire Police said: "We take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously and do everything in our power to identify the offenders and safeguard the victims.

"We will always liaise with our colleagues from the Crown Prosecution Service and where the evidence allows, and it is proportionate to do so, look to prosecute the offender.

"There are instances where other forms of remedy – including a community resolution - would be the most appropriate form of action to take.

"We will always seek the views of the victim before deciding the best form of action to take.

"If you, or anybody you know has been the victim of a sexual offence, report it online via https://doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/ or call 101. If a crime is in progress, always call 999."

A CPS Spokesperson said: ”The CPS are determined to drive up the number of rape cases going to court year on year. Too few victims are seeing justice done and we are working hard to change that. 

"We continue to work closely with the police to look at every aspect of how these cases are handled to ensure we’re building strong cases from the outset centring on the behaviour of the suspect, their conduct, and their actions with empathy and compassion for the victim, avoiding any victim-blaming approaches.

"We are seeing the impact of this work but know there is still a long way to go; we will continue developing solutions to enable us to secure justice for more victims of rape.”

The data obtained via the FOI did not include figures for rape.

The data requested under the FOI Act was specifically for 'sexual assault on a male' and 'sexual assault on a female'.

Offences of a sexual nature in the broader term can be defined under numerous other  offence categories, which are individually coded by the Home Office, and span in their dozens, if not hundreds.

Therefore, the figures for the number of sexual offences in total reported to police in East Lancashire between 2019 and 2023 may actually be much higher than those mentioned in this article.