More than half of the 444 sentences handed down for rape or attempted rape last year were for 10 years or more, according to the annual report of the Courts Service.<\/p>\n
The report for 2025 shows it was another busy year for the courts, with a continuing rise in sexual offence, drug, assault and public order cases. There was also a rise in applications for domestic violence orders, while the number of immigration related judicial reviews rose by 35 per cent. <\/p>\n
In the District Courts, despite road-traffic offence numbers falling 22 per cent over seven years, they still accounted for most offences last year, at 175,328. <\/p>\n
There were 48,537 public order\/assault offences, 38,219 of larceny\/robbery, drugs (30,018), domestic violence (5,181), sexual offences (3,648) and other offences (41,860).<\/p>\n
Of 691 rape\/attempted rape trials in the Central Criminal Court, 438 ended in conviction, 168 in acquittal and 85 in jury disagreement. Sentences of more than 10 years were imposed in 259 cases, five to 10 years in 123, two to five years in 58, and under two years in four cases.<\/p>\n
The number of personal injury cases across all courts last year was 14,661, a third less than the 2019 figure of 21,981, which predated the 2021 Judicial Council guidelines slashing awards for mainly minor personal injuries. <\/p>\n
The level of awards for personal injuries was down by 18.5 per cent last year across all courts in comparison to 2023. <\/p>\n
A total of \u20ac210 million was awarded in High Court personal injury cases, up from \u20ac135 million in 2024 but less than the \u20ac265 million total in 2023. A significant contributor to the 2025 figure was the settlement of 130 clinical negligence cases for about \u20ac142 million, compared with almost \u20ac94 million in such settlements in 2024. <\/p>\n
The District Court received 27,429 applications under the Domestic Violence Act, up from 25,270 in 2024. The number of such applications have risen by 34 per cent over seven years. <\/p>\n
Last year was the first full year of operation of legislation that introduced civil restraining orders. There were 1,839 applications for orders, including over alleged stalking, harassment and in disputes involving family and neighbours.<\/p>\n
The number of new civil cases across all courts rose to almost 188,000, a 34 per cent rise over five years. Almost 22,000 of these came into the High Court last year. <\/p>\n
There were 1,650 new civil possession cases regarding property, up from 1,135 in 2024, 1,091 in 2023 and 898 in 2022, a 46 per cent increase over four years. <\/p>\n
Recovery of debt cases fell slightly to 21,682 new cases, down from 22,584 in 2024, but the figures show a 25 per cent rise over four years in such cases.<\/p>\n
Applications for orders to execute judgment debts rose to 1,801, up from 843 in 2023, an 113 per cent increase in just two years.<\/p>\n