The MP for Richmond Park, Sarah Olney is currently campaigning to the law surrounding the right of rape victims to access court transcripts.

This campaign started after her constituent, Juliana Terlizzi, was quoted £7459.20 to obtain the transcript of the ten-day trial, in which her former partner was convicted.

In an interview with Richmond Nub News Olney outlined the work she has been doing in terms of this and said: "The victim is very much treated as incidental to the process and the victim is very much not part of the equation.

"Sometimes they are actively discouraged to attend and if they do attend they have to sit in the gallery with the friends and family of the accused

"So the system is not remotely set up to support victims and we really do need to do a lot more because without victims coming forward and pressing charges we don't have a criminal justice system - it's something I feel quite strongly about."

She explained to Nub News that she recently had an adjournment debate, which allowed her to get a response from a minister on the topic.

Sarah Olney said: "One thing he did suggest is audio recordings so I'm seeking a meeting with him to follow up on the provision of audio recordings because as he described during the debate you can apply to come back to the court and listen to the audio.

"That seems like an unsatisfactory solution when you've had a ten-day trial as Julianna did you don't want to come back ten days in a row and listen to the transcript whereas if you can listen to it at home it would be better."

She added that the Victims and Prisoners Bill is currently making its way through parliament.

Sarah Olney has tabled an amendment to the bill to ask that court transcripts be made available for free for victims of serious assault and bereaved families.