A Comparative Study of Rape Trials in Adversarial and Inquisitorial Criminal Justice Systems by Louise Elaine Ellison Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Full-time PhD University of Leeds Faculty of Law July 1997 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is her own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. Abstract Recent research has confirmed that giving evidence in criminal proceedings is often a degrading and gruelling ordeal for complainants in rape cases. This study seeks to establish the extent to which the secondary victimisation of rape complainants in court is an inevitable consequence of the adversarial trial process. It explores the conflict between the needs and interests of rape complainants and the basic assumptions of the adversarial fact-finding process and concludes that the adversarial system creates intractable problems for vulnerable complainants. This study questions whether our commitment to the adversarial process can and should continue given its onerous implications for victims of crime. This study examines rape trials in the Netherlands, a country with an inquisitorial trial process. It identifies the fundamental differences between Dutch and English trial procedures and explores their significance for complainants in rape cases. This study seeks to establish whether inquisitorial style proceedings hold significant advantages for vulnerable complainants. Acknowledgments This research was funded by an Anne Spencer Scholarship. Anne Spencer was a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the University of Leeds in 1974. At the time of her death from sudden illness in 1990, she was a Reader in Education Management at the Further Education Staff College and an academic editor and author in the field of gender issues with reference to the professions. Anne’s parents established a fund in her memory, providing a scholarship for a research student. I would like to thank the Dutch practitioners who participated in this research for their cooperation. I also want to thank Professor John Bell, my supervisor, Yaman Akdeniz and my parents for their constant support and encouragement. Table of Contents Abstract----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- i Acknowledgments--------------------------------------------------------------------------------ii Table of Contents------------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii Introduction----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 Chapter One - Fundamental Features of English and Dutch Criminal Procedure Compared------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 1.1. In tr o d u c tio n ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 21 1.2. T h e E n glish C rim in al T ria l-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22 1.2.1. A Contest................................------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------- 23 1.2.2. Competing Stories.............................................................................................................................24 1.2.3. Principle of O rality........................................................................................................................... 26 1.2.4. The Law o f Evidence........................................................................................................................29 1.2.5. The Course of the Trial.....................................................................................................................33 1.2.5.1. Open Court Principle...............................................................................................................34 1.2.6. The Jury----- ------ ----------------------------- — ........... ------------------------------------- -------------- 35 1.2.7. Sum m ary............................................................................................................................................. 36 1.3. D utch P re-T rial C rim in al P roced u re-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------38 1.3.1. The Public Prosecutor- (Officier van justitie)----------------------------------------------------------- 39 1.3.1.1. Institutional Incentives --------- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 40 1.3.1.2. Judicial Figures..........................................................................................................................41 1.3.2. The Examining Magistrate -(Rechter-Commissaris)..................................................................42 1.3.3. The Defence L aw yer........................................................................................................................ 45 1.3.4. Co-operation....................................................................................................................................... 45 1.4. T h e D utch C rim in al T r ia l----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------47 1.4.1. The Use of Written Evidence...........................................................................................................48 1.4.2. The Law o f Evidence........................................................................................................................ 50 1.4.2.1. Code of Criminal Procedure vs. Practice.............................................................................. 52 1.4.3. The Course of the Trial..................................................................................................................... 55 1.4.3.1. Open Court Principle............................................................................................................... 56 1.4.3.2. Length o f T rials........................................................................................................................ 57 1.4.4. Sum m ary..............................................................................................................................................57 1.5. T h e R ole o f the A d vocate and th e N atu re o f A d v o ca cy -------------------------------------------------------59 1.5.1. England and W ales............................................................................................................................59 1.5.1.1. Role of the Prosecutor..............................................................................................................60 1.5.1.2. Role of Defence Counsel......................................................................................................... 63 1.5.2. The Netherlands..................................................................................................................................64 1.5.2.1. Role of the Public Prosecutor.........................-.......................................................................65 1.5.2.2 Role o f Defence C ounsel......................................................................................................... 66 1.5.3. Sum m ary..............................................................................................................................................66 1.6. The Role of the Trial Judge -6 7 1.6.1. England and W ales........................................................................................................................... 67 1.6.2. The Netherlands.............................................................................................................................— 68 1.6.2.1. Constitution of the Judiciary-.......................... .......................................................................70 1.6.3. Sum m ary............................................................................................................................................. 70 1.7. T h e C om b a tiv en ess o f A d v ersa ria l P r o c e e d in g s----------------------------------------------------------------- 71 1.7.1. Summary............................................................................................................................................. 72 1.8. T h e R ole o f th e C om p lain an t in C rim in al P ro ceed in g s-------------------------------------------------------74 1.8.1. Recent Developments in the Treatment of Victims of Crime in the UK.................................74 1.8.1.1. Victim Support..........................................................................................................................75 1.8.1.2. The Witness Service.................................................................................................................76 1.8.2. Summary............................................................................................................................................. 78 1.8.3. The Netherlands—................. — .....................................-...............— .....................------- --------78 1.8.3.1. Recent Developments in the Treatment of Victims of Crime in The Netherlands----- 79 1.8.4. Summary............................................................................................................................................. 81 1.9. C o n c lu s io