Updated Home Office Guidance on Criminal Exploitation of children and vulnerable adults: County Lines

The Home Office has published guidance for professionals in England and Wales who work with victims of modern slavery. The guidance assists in identifying the minimum standards of care that every potential child victim of modern slavery is entitled to

The Court of Appeal directed that proceedings which had been stayed as an abuse of process in the Crown Court should continue. Whether a defendant is a victim of human trafficking or not is a matter solely for the jury and not the judge. The abuse of process power cannot be used to immunise potential defendants from prosecution.

The Ministry of Justice have published a practice guide providing referral pathways for practitioners, particularly for Youth Offending Teams, when responding to and safeguarding children involved in county lines.