Indecent exposure and voyeurism offences are increasingly ending without prosecution, prompting fresh criticism of what opponents describe as Labour’s soft approach to justice.
Home Office data reveals that police in England and Wales recorded 17,907 offences involving indecent exposure or voyeurism last year—the highest figure since records began.
Yet only 2,474 of those cases resulted in a suspect being charged and brought before a court.
The other 15,433 cases did not lead to a criminal charge. In some investigations, no suspect was identified, while others ended without a criminal record even after an offender was located.
Among those caught last year, 130 received a caution, while a further 199 cases were dealt with through an informal “community resolution”—a process that can include an offender apologising to the victim.
Another 165 investigations were concluded after the offender completed a diversionary, educational or intervention programme.
Police were unable to name a suspect in 5,646 of the cases closed during the year.
In a further 7,115 investigations, officers identified a suspect but were unable to proceed because of evidential problems.
Overall, around six in seven cases ended without a charge, meaning a record number of indecent exposure and voyeurism investigations failed to result in a court appearance.
Home Office figures show that police in England and Wales recorded 17,907 indecent exposure or voyeurism offences last year—the highest total ever
He faced several allegations of indecent exposure while serving as a police officer, but the claims were not properly investigated.
The number of cases ending without justice rose by 29 per cent in a single year, increasing from 13,862 in 2024.
Criminal justice specialists have warned that repeat offenders who avoid prosecution may become increasingly emboldened and go on to commit more serious crimes, as happened in the case of Sarah Everard’s killer, Wayne Couzens.
Couzens was later given a whole-life tariff for the rape and murder of the 33-year-old in 2021, after earlier opportunities to stop his offending were missed.
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Metropolitan Police figures show that the force closed 3,073 indecent exposure and voyeurism cases last year. In 1,244 of those investigations, no suspect was ever identified.
British Transport Police recorded the weakest results, failing to identify a suspect in exactly half of the 464 cases it closed on the rail network last year.
The number of offences has also climbed sharply. In 2021, police dealt with 11,189 such cases—around 60 per cent fewer than the latest total.
Separate figures show that during the past five years, people with a previous conviction for indecent exposure or voyeurism were linked to nine murders, 300 rapes and 261 sexual assaults.
Killers who committed indecent exposure offences before going on to murder include Pawel Relowicz, who was convicted of killing Hull university student Libby Squire, and Colin Pitchfork, the first person to be convicted using DNA profiling.
A spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs’ Council said: “Indecent exposure is a serious crime that can have a lasting impact on victims. Every report must be investigated thoroughly, with care and compassion.”
‘More than 100,000 officers have completed a new non-contact sexual offences training module to improve the quality of investigations.
‘The training emphasises the importance of recognising the harm caused to victims and shifting the focus of an investigation to the suspect’s wider pattern of behaviour.
‘Most importantly, we want women and girls to feel safe and confident reporting to police, and when they do come forward, we must take swift action.’
Labour has come under fire for a series of soft justice policies, including releasing tens of thousands of criminals from jail early and introducing legislation to cut jail terms.
A Home Office spokesman said: ‘These figures show that more victims are coming forward with these often-underreported crimes, but we know there is more to do to ensure survivors come forward and are taken seriously when they do.
‘That is why this government has pledged to halve violence against women and girls within a decade.
‘We are already reviewing how the police respond to non-contact sexual offences and have supported the development of new training for police on these crimes.’