A woman who was sexually abused from the age of 11 by a grooming gang has been refused compensation because of a driving offence according to a report in The Independent:
Following the trials, she applied to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) because she was entitled to recompense for sexual abuse and its life-long impact.
But CICA rejected the application because of a dangerous driving conviction, for which Lucy had been handed a community sentence.
“I wasn’t in it for the money, I was in it purely to tell my story and get justice,” Lucy told The Independent.
“I was advised to apply for compensation but CICA declined it because of my conviction.”
In a March 2019 letter, the authority said it could not award her compensation while the conviction was unspent – still on her criminal record.
A CICA official said the scheme’s terms meant that there was “no leeway or discretion for me to take into account the individual circumstances”.
Lucy requested a review but in October, CICA again refused to grant compensation because the application was considered a duplicate.
She said the incident that sparked the refusal was “not a major offence” compared to the years of abuse she suffered.
Lucy, now in her 20s, had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving following a police chase where she drove through red lights and crashed.
No one was injured in the incident, which happened while she was giving evidence at her rapists’ court trial and had been refused counselling in case it affected her account.
Lucy told said she had gone into “panic mode” because she believed a group of Asian men were driving towards her.
During the rape and abuse Lucy had an abortion aged 15 and then had a child aged 15. She has been bombarded with calls, approached by her abusers’ associates near her home, had her home vandalised and was illegally identified on social media.
Lucy accuses police of neglecting to protect her since she agreed to come forward, and views the CICA’s decision as the latest failure by authorities.
Lucy said: “For me it wasn’t about money, but the system owes me more than what my life can be now. I’ll never get my childhood back.”
The Ministry of Justice, which funds CICA, said it could not comment on individual cases.
A spokesperson said: “Victims of child sexual abuse show immense bravery coming forward and it is vital they receive all possible support to recover from their ordeal.
“That is why we have doubled funding for emotional and practical support for victims since 2013.
“Through our Victims’ Strategy we are making improvements at every stage of the process, including reviewing eligibility for compensation and improving the court experience.”
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