Why would prosecutors drop rape charges?

By Timna Jacks
Updated February 25 2017 - 3:13pm, first published 2:54pm
One of the Wild brothers leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court after an earlier hearing.  Photo: Justin McManus
One of the Wild brothers leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court after an earlier hearing. Photo: Justin McManus

In the wake of news that charges have been dropped against the three Wild brothers accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in Geelong, you may be trawling the internet or texting a lawyer friend for an explanation. You may be asking how prosecutors can drop charges when the case was so close to coming to trial. Prosecutors rarely publish their reasons, and will not do so if their reasons were personal to the victim. Melbourne University's criminal law expert Jeremy Gans has explained why such charges are dropped in these kinds of cases.

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