Unease over move of rape victims' forensic centre
Olivier Chassignole/AFP via Getty ImagesA centre that carries out forensic medical examinations on victims of sexual assault is being relocated from Plymouth to St Austell despite campaigning from local councillors and MPs.
Plymouth councillor Pauline Murphy described the decision to move the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for Devon and Cornwall as "going under the radar".
Plymouth City Council Plymouth and Sutton MP Luke Pollard opposed the Plymouth centre closure over concerns that longer journeys would increase distress, delay care and discourage incident reporting.
Council leader Tudor Evans had asked NHS England and the police and crime commissioner, which jointly fund the SARC, to keep forensic capacity in the city.
Plymouth's health and adult care scrutiny panel was told a new facility at Carlyon House, St Austell, for the over-18s, would replace SARCs in Plymouth and Truro, neither of which met new national standards and could not be upgraded.
The panel was told the veracity of any forensic medical evidence would be challenged in court if it was not carried out through an accredited facility, said the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
The new support hub at Brunswick House in Plymouth provides face-to-face crisis and recovery support and follow-up care for people, whether they chose to have a forensic examination or not, councillors heard.
Most police force areas only had one SARC but Devon and Cornwall would have two with the second in Exeter because of the travel distances involved, the panel was told.
Reluctant to travel
There were 77 forensic medical examinations (FMEs) in Plymouth and 86 in Cornwall between October 2024 and September 2025.
Paul O'Sullivan, head of health and justice at NHS England Southwest, said a minority of people choose to have FMEs and most ongoing support would be available in Plymouth.
He said it was not viable to have more examination centres in the force area and transport would be provided for people travelling for a FME who would be accompanied by trained police officers.
Councillor Alison Simpson said people could be reluctant to travel to an unfamiliar place after something as traumatic as a sexual assault.
"This would fill me with horror, I'm sure we could have found suitable premises in Plymouth," she said.
The city was included in the search for locations but the decision was "determined by buildings and the ability to develop the appropriate facilities".
Under-16s would still be taken to Exeter as it is a SARC paediatric centre of excellence.
