The Police is failing in its duty to protect the British public

Female victims of sex crimes are being let down by the police (Image: Getty)As Diana Fawcett of Victim Support points out, those who report crimes to the police often feel let down by what happens next.Conviction rates are unacceptably low, and there is a huge backlog of cases waiting to be dealt with by our over-stretched courts.Failure to punish offenders can only encourage a sense of impunity among those who commit these despicable crimes.Every sexual offence is horrific and that includes the small proportion where the victim is a man, but it is overwhelmingly women who are affected by the failings of our criminal justice system.Hard-working police officers deserve support but public confidence is not as high as it should be, particularly in London where the murder of Sarah Everard raised questions about the culture prevalent in the Metropolitan Police. These new figures highlight the need for a shake-up.The Home Office’s ongoing police recruitment drive may help but the Government should ensure that protecting the public is at the top of its in-tray.There are just three weeks to save the triple lock, which provides a vital guarantee that pensions will rise by at least the rate of inflation.Confusion about the Government’s plans is already adding to the worries of elderly people wondering whether they will be able to afford to heat their homes or cook hot meals.As Chancellor, Rishi Sunak said he was ‘putting our arms around’ those in need during the Covid crisis. Now, he must do the same again for pensioners.The Prime Minister must heed the concerns of the Daily Express, campaigners Silver Voices and many of his own MPs, and ensure the most vulnerable in our society are not abandoned when help is needed.Prince Harry’s book, to be released in January, is likely to mean an unhappy new year for the King. His choice of title, Spare, highlights the fact that the Duke of Sussex is lower down the pecking order than his brother and heir to the throne, the Prince of Wales.This appears to be something Harry has found difficult to accept. The Duke has served his country faithfully in the past, both as a member of the armed forces and when working as a full-time royal.He deserves to be happy and nothing would please his well-wishers across the country more than to see him one day reconciled with the rest of his family.