OXFORD’s rape crisis charity has backed a move to give victims of child sex abuse greater protection in court.

Natalie Brook, manager of the Oxford Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre, welcomed new guidelines for prosecuting cases, intended to put less pressure on victims when they take the stand.

The new proposals by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) have been created in the wake of Operation Bullfinch and other high-profile exploitation cases.

A group of elite judges will be given specialist training to deal with complex sexual abuse cases such as Bullfinch, where there are multiple defendants and at least one vulnerable witness.

Ms Brook said: “Recent cases have demonstrated the traumatic ordeal many survivors of sexual violence – often young girls and women – face when giving evidence in court.

“Measures designed to improve ... the system, such as specialist training for judges, are very welcome and we would like to see this extended to specialist training for prosecutors as well.”