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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Shanti Das

How many rape cases are derailed by ‘sexsomnia’ claims? The CPS doesn’t know

Portrait of a woman looking at herself in the mirror.
Lab tests and partner histories can be used to try to establish whether a sexsomnia claim is genuine, but it is difficult to disprove. Photograph: Osaka Wayne Studios/Getty Images

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not know how many rape cases have collapsed after defence claims of “sexsomnia” despite fears the rare medical condition is being exploited.

The prosecutions agency for England and Wales has previously pledged to “robustly challenge” sexsomnia claims after a string of high-profile cases where sexual offence suspects were acquitted – or had their investigations dropped – after the disorder was raised.

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