Woman sexually assaulted on flight challenges UK rules on compensation | Rape and sexual assault

A girl who was sexually assaulted whereas sleeping on a flight to London is difficult UK authorities guidelines that disqualify her from a compensation scheme as a result of the aircraft was not registered in Britain.She was attacked on a Qatar Airways flight from Doha, Qatar, to Gatwick in September final 12 months.Momade Jussab, 66, of Feltham, was sitting subsequent to her and put his palms down her trousers. He was arrested on arrival at Gatwick.In Might, he was handed a six-and-a-half-year jail sentence at Lewes crown court docket after being discovered responsible of 1 depend of sexual assault by penetration and two counts of sexual assault.His sufferer, who has maintained her anonymity and is known as Kelly, has been denied a payout via the felony accidents compensation scheme as a result of the incident occurred on a aircraft that was not registered in Britain.The regulation agency Leigh Day, which is representing Kelly, has written to the justice secretary, Shabana Mahmood, urging her to shut what it believes is a spot within the regulation.Kelly, who’s in her 20s and from London, stated: “I don’t perceive why I, and different victims like me, have been excluded from the CIC scheme.“I used to be attacked on a flight en path to the UK, I’m a UK citizen, and this crime was investigated and prosecuted by British authorities.“I ought to be entitled to compensation, and being excluded from the scheme is unfair and illogical. I’m nonetheless struggling with the results of the assault and wish to transfer ahead with my life.”The Civil Aviation Act was up to date in 1996 to make sure felony acts on international planes sure for the UK could be prosecuted in UK felony courts.Claire Powell, a solicitor at Leigh Day, stated: “Our consumer suffered an horrific sexual assault on a UK-bound flight. She was refused compensation beneath the felony accidents compensation scheme just because it was a international flight and the principles haven’t been amended consistent with the updates to the Civil Aviation Act.“It’s a hole that wants closing urgently and we belief the justice secretary will agree, notably in gentle of this authorities’s dedication to addressing violence towards girls and ladies.”A Ministry of Justice spokesperson stated: “Our ideas stay with this sufferer, and we stay resolute in our mission to halve violence towards girls and ladies in a decade. The principles that the Felony Accidents Compensation Authority follows, and the values of funds for accidents, are set by parliament.“Different routes can be found for victims to obtain assist.”