A support worker says this means victims of violent crime are often left in emotional limbo for two to three years as their cases move through the courts.

This comes after a Wagga judge slammed the crown prosecutor for piling even more delays onto an already backlogged court system. 

Judge Gordon Lerve was due to preside over the trial of a man accused of a sexual assault in Wantabadgery in just a few days’ time.

However, after the crown prosecutor failed to serve documents on time, Judge Lerve had no option but to vacate the trial date.

Judge Lerve said this was unacceptable given the alleged assault occurred in 2015 and the trial date had been fixed since October. 

"On the 4th of July, 2018, that is, some three weeks or so before the proposed trial date, the accused was served with a 32-page document including a 10-page reference,” Judge Lerve said.

“That, in respect, is entirely unsatisfactory, as far as the crown is concerned.” 

The judge went on to say that the Department of Public Prosecutions had left him with no choice but to lodge a complaint with the Chief Judge of the District Court.

“Since I have been sitting in Wagga since July, 2016, I have become increasingly concerned about the late service of material by the crown,” he said.

“This sort of thing has happened so many times – if I don’t do something about it, it’s going to continue.” 

Kerrie Thompson NSW’s Victims Of Crime Assistance League said victims often put their lives on hold until their case is finalised, leaving them in emotional limbo. 

“For many victims, especially if we’re talking about sexual assault, it can be many years before their matter is finalised, and that waiting has a huge impact on them,” Ms Thompson said.

“A lot of clients say it’s like having something hanging over their head – they can’t move on because, in the back of their mind, they know they’re going to have to go to court, relive the event, and give specific detailed evidence of the horrific abuse.”

Ms Thompson said that when cases encounter further unexpected delays, as happened in Wagga this week, victims can be sent into an emotional tailspin. 

“When victims get the date that they have to go to court, they use all their strength and emotion to get themselves together to present at court, only to be told there’s been another adjournment and to come back in three months’ time,” she said.

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