WO2 recognised for efforts to speed up prosecution of serious crimes
A woman whose passion for helping Service Police forces prosecute rape and sexual offences more effectively has been recognised for her achievements at the 2022 Women in Defence Awards.
Service Police Liaison Officer Warrant Officer (Class Two) Yvonne Angus was a finalist in the Most Collaborative Award category which celebrates someone who has demonstrated that creating a collaborative working environment has created a positive impact.
On a mission to get justice done, WO2 Angus is the liaison officer between all three service police forces and the Service Prosecution Authority.
Her passion for getting the job done quickly and efficiently came on the back of media reports about Jimmy Savile's historical sexual abuse of children.
After Savile was outed as a serial sexual predator, many other victims, who were adults by that point, reported horrific crimes inflicted upon them when they were children in Germany and Cyprus.
She said: "I saw how it affected the victims... that mainly got me interested in how to do that better... and that's why this job, especially with the sexual offences and early engagement pilot, has really... grown my interest in that field."
Ever since low conviction rates were criticised in a recent Service Justice Review, WO2 Angus has been responsible for a pilot which requires Service Police forces to engage with prosecution within 24 hours of a sexual offence being reported.
The hope is that the pilot will help victims by speeding up the process of getting cases to trial.
WO2 Angus is keen for her story to inspire other women to aim high in their careers.
She said: "I would love... to be a role model for others because we are still a minority and there are some cultures that may... still need to evolve and change, like everything, and this award... recognises the hard work that maybe some women aren't recognised for otherwise."
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