Waiting for him to be charged

By Warrior1

This was excruciating. In a case as serious as ours, it is up to the CPS to make a decision to charge.

We had been warned that in london, the wait for the case to reach the top of the pile to even be looked at, was about a year. I think things have improved since then. I hope they have.

Once our case reached the top of the pile, there was a scurry of activity. Talk of needing to meet with the CPS (which seemed terrifying). Why me? Did they think I was unreliable? The meeting didn’t happen. They didn’t need to. But the anxiety it provoked just by the mere suggestion was enough.

We were then told he was definitely going to be charged. We were told this in August. This felt like an early birthday present. Things were finally moving. We were no longer in limbo. But then…. nothing. Lots of case meetings between the police and the CPS. Can we have the name of your school to check your records? Can you send a copy of your birth certificate? Can we have a photo of you as a child at the age of the abuse?

Bearing in mind the abuse went on for years, what age did they want? How many should I send? I sent them all.

The weeks went past. Every Friday became more depressing; it’s not going to be this week, then we have a weekend, a whole 2 days of nothing, before optimistically beginning the Monday with, well maybe this is the week he will be charged.

I was hanging on to the charging decision. When they charge him they will apply for remand. They will take away his passport.

The months passed. Pretty soon it was nearly Christmas. We were told, we were promised this would definitely happen before Christmas. The CPS lawyer wanted it sent over before they went on leave in mid December. We got nearer and nearer to the deadline. And then we passed it. The offices were now closed for Christmas. It wasn’t going to happened before Christmas. I was devastated, that wasn’t another Christmas he had ruined.

When the CPS and the police reopened in January we were told, they had FINALLY sent the charges over. He was going to be charged.