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1. The "lord chief (in)-justice" clearly has his microscopic brain addled by the weight of absurd horsehair that makes him look "important".
   When capital punishment was abolished, we were assured that, "life will mean life". It doesn’t!
   We have such fatuous phrases as "Human rights", and "Cruel and unusual punishment", as excuses for going soft on killers and career criminals.
   The "lord chancellor", Blair’s crony, Charlie McFattarse is part of a Marxist conspiracy to destroy Great Britain and even the formerly United Kingdom.
   If you think that’s fanciful, read Gordon Brown’s very own site, http://gordon-brown.blogspot.com/
   and see if I’m making it up!

   DO NOT VOTE LABOUR – EVER! YOUR FREEDOM IS AT STAKE!!!

   Comment by Anthony Sutcliffe — 20 Mar 2007 on 7:58 pm | Link

2. Ms. Elaine Gough
   4 Mellalieu Street
   Royton,
   Oldham
   Lancashire
   OL2 5AQ

   I attended a Criminal Injuries Appeals Tribunal on 8th May 2007 in the hope of receiving a payment of \xA327,000, instead of the \xA311,000 baseline for a rape victim, which my Solicitor firmly believed we would win. I have complied with everything my Solicitor has asked of me sometimes doing things which I found quite hard and emotionally stressful.

   I have received an interim payment of \xA35,000 in 2003 (four years ago) and my case has been ongoing. I was raped on 10/11th September 2002 my rape was traumatic, embarrassing, left feeling dirty, alone and suicidal. As proved at trial I was a victim of a violent and abusive offence for which the perpetrator received a very \x91HIGH\x92 sentence of 10 years. In my eyes of course no amount of time in prison can be enough to equal the suffering I received at his hands and for the rest of my life. This is not a case of a misunderstanding this was a brutal crime for which I will continue to carry the emotional scars for the rest of my life. Not only did I have to cope with this ordeal but my children also suffered at the tender and vulnerable ages of 12 and 14 (at the time of the rape). My relationship with my family especially my daughters has been effected irrevocably as I was a single mother dealing with Post Traumatic Stress, with constant suicidal thought and two suicidal attempts of which the actions of my eldest daughter of 14 years old prevent my death. I was diagnosed with Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in 2003. I have attended a psychiatrist every three months for the past 5 years and continue to do so in an attempt to help me to cope with daily life. My psychiatrist in of the opinion that I will suffer from Chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for the remainder of my life.

   When I attended the Criminal Injuries Appeals Tribunal on 8th May 2007 in Manchester, the Barrister Mr Richard Hartley informed me that my solicitor had not been aware of an error on the doctors\x92 report in that it should have read PERMENANT rather that AT RISK of future mental health problems. You can appreciate this was not the sort of information I needed to hear on the brink of the appeal this caused me enormous distress as I was told that due to this error the appeal may have to be adjured to another date. I came to the Tribunal for closure and in the first instance I am informed of another possible delay.

   At the Tribunal the panel consisted of one female and two males who were both CBE holders. The Tribunal was intimidating and I was not prepared for the inconsiderate way in which the panel obtained the evidence relating to my case. At one point details of the rape were discussed in intimate detail (\x93was the rape anal as well as vaginal?\x94) surely this information was available through the trial papers and there was no need to voice this. The manner in which the panel reviewed the information was as though I was on trial and trying to prove I was a victim although this was not a court of law and that fact had indeed been established when my rapist was convicted for 10 years. This being said I thought that due to the amount of questions raised to my barrister from the panel that at last I would receive an outcome and subsequent closure.

   I cannot understand what qualifies a panel member to sit on a case like mine and judge it.

   Following this lengthy hearing (3 hours) I was informed that the case would have to be adjourned, just as my Barrister had predicted prior to commencement. This was just totally the last straw I was inconsolable, yet again my trauma is fuelled by more trials, hearings and stress. No one on that panel could know how I felt, who else but another victim of rape or a specialist in psychiatry can make an assessment on my state of mind and illness.
   The Panel told me that I needed to have Congnitive Behavioural Treatment before a new Tribunal date is set (I was not aware that any panel member was of the medical profession and could advise me of which treatment would be the most effective to me, surely my psychiatrist who has been treating me for the past 2 years, has all my case notes and a medical qualification would be the best person to advise on treatment!). As the waiting list for this ADVISED treatment would be 12 months. It is clear that I would be unable to obtain this treatment in time for the proposed new tribunal date in December and as such was then subsequently advised to go private using the second interim payment (of which I have not received and of course there is no guarantee that I will receive this). Unlike the panel I am not a wealthy person and I cannot afford this treatment privately, I do not hold medical insurance and am therefore in a catch 22 situation. I have to suffer another 12 months whilst I wait on the NHS waiting list then following the CB treatment, of which the timeframe I am not aware of, I have to the wait for a new tribunal date. This could prolong any closure by another 2 years or more. In addition to this stressful situation in which I feel the victim yet again, I have to deal with the proposed parole hearing of my rapist in November 2007. There is a possibility that he will have served his sentence and be free to walk the streets whilst I am still trying to finalise this situation and receive the treatment required by the tribunal.

   I feel I am not making any headway with this situation. I believe that in the whole scheme of things and looking at my personal ordeal my hoped payment of \xA327,000 is justified. To add insult to injury I read recently of a Thief who obtained a criminal injury payment of \xA342,000 following him being bitten by a police dog during the chase to arrest him.

   There seems to be no end to the torment and stress that I am suffering as a result of the rape in 2002. I still need to take 60mg of Citalopram each day before I even walk out my front door. I find it hard to function and carryout day-to-day duties within my life on a good day never mind with this possibility hanging over me for the next 2 years.

   I feel I have made every effort to help myself yet that has not been enough, a fact that is backed up by my psychiatrist, I still need help, counselling and medication to get on with my life as best I can considering the trauma I have suffered. Clearly the panel though this was not the case, albeit without medical training!

   Elaine Gough

   Comment by elaine gough — 31 May 2007 on 9:18 am | Link

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