There is a need for a limit on the time allowed to elapse between an alleged sex crime and the prosecution of the suspect, according to a leading defence counsel.
Otherwise there was a danger the accused could not receive a fair trial.
Senior counsel Patrick Gageby told the prosecutors' conference that some cases related to alleged offences that were 20, 30, 40 or even 50 years old. It was extremely difficult to get any corroborative evidence that would either support the allegation or the defence.
"You are often reduced to trying to identify the colour of the wall, establishing if there was a bicycle in the yard, whether the creamery had been built. It turns the case into a swearing match.
"Memories change and memories fade. The possibility of intruded ideas is much the most noticeable aspect of evidence given years later."
He was concerned about psychologists' reports explaining the reason for the delay in the complaints being made. "I never yet saw a psychologist's report saying that the delay on the part of the victim was inexplicable".
These cases turned into a pure "beauty contest", where the jury was asked to choose who it believed.
He asked: "Why don't we seek to develop a jurisprudence where the trial judge can direct the jury to acquit? We should consider whether in many cases there cannot be a fair trial, and the judge should direct an acquittal."
He also blamed the media for not being critical of the "industry" that had grown up around old sex-abuse cases where there had recently been legislation allowing people to pursue compensation.
"The media decries the 'compensation culture', but not where there has been a suggestion of sexual abuse.. There is a large industry abroad of counsellors, psychologists and, of course, lawyers. Any member of a religious order [ accused of sex abuse] now faces prejudice. The media seems to have abandoned any critical examination of these claims."
He said the media often reported the opening of a case, with all the details of the prosecution case, but did not cover the defence case, and devoted only a paragraph to an eventual acquittal.