UK rape victim left feeling ‘suicidal’ after five-year wait for case to come to trial

The woman's case is among thousands that have been affected by a record-breaking backlog of hearings likely to increase amid barrister strikes

A rape victim who will have been waiting five years by the time her case comes to court has said navigating the justice process has had a worse impact on her mental health than the crime itself, leaving her feeling suicidal".

The woman, known as Debbie, recently had her case listed but it was pulled the day before she was due to appear in court. She now faces a further eight-month wait.