Blunkett rejects rape suspect anonymity

David Blunkett rejected calls for people accused of rape to be granted anonymity despite the publicity surrounding the Australian snooker player Quinten Hann, who was acquitted last week.

The Home Secretary told MPs yesterday it would be a "great mistake" to legislate in response to the case. Mr Blunkett said ministers would weigh the evidence before publishing proposals for the reform of sex offences legislation in the autumn. He was responding to questions from Andrew Mac-Kay, Conservative MP for Bracknell, on the Hann case.

Mr MacKay asked:"Would the Home Secretary accept that recent high-profile cases have made it absolutely clear that both the victim and the accused should have their names remain anonymous throughout the trial case otherwise there is dreadful adverse publicity for people who are often then found innocent, and that cannot be right?"

Mr Blunkett replied: "I think it would be a great mistake if we made a judgement on the back of one case – the case of Mr Hann."

But he confirmed: "I don't think there is disagreement that the victim should remain anonymous."

Mr Blunkett said it was essential that the courts took "firm action wherever and whenever" they could after he disclosed that only 7 per cent of reported rapes resulted in conviction.

He said the number of defendants found guilty of rape had dropped from 68 per cent in 1997 to 29 per cent in 2000.