Skip to content

Delays made sex crime victim feel justice 'snapped off me'

A victim of historical sex abuse says she felt justice was taken away from her because of delays in the system.

The woman, whose identity is protected, added she was left struggling to cope after her attacker died before the case came to court.

Sexual crimes take on average twice as long as other offences to reach the end of the criminal justice process.

She was speaking to BBC News NI reporter Eve Rosato. These are her words but they have been voiced by an actor.

Full story here.

13 March 2024

Northern Ireland

Criminal justice system

Explore More

Emma, with long brown hair and wearing a purple hoody, looks to the side of the camera

How schools can help bereaved pupils with grief

Northern Ireland

BBC Newsline

BBC Newsline signed summary

Tom Hadden sits on a grey sofa. He is wearing a stripey top.

'Rural road crash changed my life'

Northern Ireland

A woman with straight blonde hair looks to the side of the camera. She is wearing a blue t-shirt and necklace.

Parents of SEN young people call for support

Northern Ireland

Memorial stone in Ballyatrick forest to Inga Maria Hauser. Bouquets of flowers have been placed around the stone

Murdered backpacker's family hopeful over inquest

Northern Ireland

A hole in a dark gravel road up close with a road continuing in the background surrounded by fields

'The edges have eroded away'

Northern Ireland

Sebastian is being kissed on the cheek by his mother Amanda. He has short blonde hair and is wearing a blue jacket. Amanda is wearing a black and white headscarf and gold feathered earrings.

'He has nowhere to go and he's still there'

Northern Ireland

Noleen Mullan, the mother of Katie Simpson, speaking at a press conference. She is wearing an olive coat over a white top.

Katie Simpson family 'feeling empty' after report

Northern Ireland

Debbie McCrudden

'I'm glad I didn't let the fear stop me'

Northern Ireland

A man with black glasses and a yellow jumper looks at the camera. He has black hair

'We caught my cancer early - that was key'

Northern Ireland

A man with a black beard and black hair stands in front of University of Ulster building wearing a black hoody

Belfast reacts to Trump's US election victory

Northern Ireland

Sandra Larmour

‘Drugs was never really a topic of conversation’

Northern Ireland

Gillian Kearney speaking at a police press conference. There is a green PSNI banner behind her and four microphones in front. She is in uniform and has blonde hair, which is tied back.

Increased police presence in Derry after attacks

Northern Ireland

Indiana Land sign, with snakes and birds

A trip down memory lane with BBC archives

Northern Ireland

Liam Love served with the Royal Anglian Regiment

'It was the call I hoped I'd never take'

Cahir O'Hagan in football top in stadium

'Medication wasn't able to save my brother'

Northern Ireland

Lara Storey sitting in front of a window

'I never had anyone sit down and take me seriously'

Northern Ireland

Melissa Hamilton - a woman with long, blonde hair which is tied back in a ponytail is smiling as she looks slightly off camera.

'To perform ballet back home is a dream come true'

Northern Ireland

a woman looking at an off-screen interviewer. Her gaze is direct and she is wearing a black top and plum-coloured lipstick

'Little girls were threatened in the most depraved way'

Kwame Daniels in front of the Telegraph building in Belfast. He is wearing thick-rimmed glasses, a green jacket, a red shirt and a ruck sack.

'I'm home': Anti-slavery show explores Belfast diversity

Northern Ireland

Deirdre Shakespeare wearing a white blouse and gold necklace. She has wavy blonde hair and is outside. There are trees and fields behind her.

Mother 'vindicated' by report into autistic son's treatment

Deirdre Shakespeare's son, Harry, was restrained in a chair at his special school without her knowledge.

Northern Ireland

Christine McCleery - she has long blonde hair and a black top on.

'I want to prevent this happening again' - Mum of stillborn baby

Services for pregnant women need to be overhauled in Northern Ireland, a review finds.

Northern Ireland

Woody the dog - he wears a harness and is a red labrador. He has beautiful brown eyes

'One ferret killed 27 puffins' - the dog keeping seabirds safe

Ferrets and rats pose a grave risk to puffins and other seabirds who breed on Rathlin Island every year.

Northern Ireland

Christ the Redeemer's vice-principal Nicola McKeown - she has blond hair and a wide smile

Grownups go back to maths class

Parents and grandparents go back to school to help pupils at Christ the Redeemer Primary School in Dunmurry.

Northern Ireland

A translink train, painted yellow, blue and grey, stationary on the rail lines at Belfast's Grand Central Station

'A hugely significant day for public transport'

Belfast's Grand Central Station first train left for Dublin Connolly.

Northern Ireland

The Ferry

Strangford ferry to be suspended for five weeks

Commuters and GAA fans are worried about the works.

Northern Ireland

Dylan wearing a maroon blazer, white shirt, maroon/green and white school tie and black glasses standing in front of a police car with his mum who's wearing a grey top and black glasses with her hair tied up

'It was scary, very scary'

A school bus carrying more than 40 pupils crashed on Monday afternoon.

Northern Ireland

The Duke of Edinburgh is on the right wearing a tweed jacket, burgundy sweatshirt and grey trousers. He is kicking a football. Next to him on his right are three young people - a boy and two girls- wearing blue sports tops and black bottoms

Duke of Edinburgh meets young award participants

Prince Edwards meets young people taking part in Duke of Edinburgh and President's awards.

Northern Ireland

Two cast members on stage of the production

50 years of NI gay befriending helpline

The play brings to life a collection of real-life phone calls and letters submitted in the 1970s.

Northern Ireland

Holly Hennessey holding her Siamese cat, Captain.

Cruise ship passenger ready to live her dream life

Holly Hennessey, from Florida, has been travelling with her six-year-old Siamese cat, Captain.

Northern Ireland

Woman with white hair wearing gold rimmed glasses, a white cardigan and a green top

'This is home for the next 15 years'

The BBC spoke to passengers before boarding the cruise ship that left Belfast on Monday night but remains anchored nearby.

Northern Ireland

Claire Sugden has long dark hair and is wearing a pink shirt and blue jeans as she talks to the camera. She is sitting on a brown leather sofa with family photographs on the unit behind her.

Politician 'really struggled' with postnatal anxiety

An Independent MLA has shared her experience with postnatal anxiety after her first child was born.

Northern Ireland

March belfast

'It's so good to see a bit of diversity, that's what you want'

East Belfast was awash with colour and sound as dozens of people marched the length of the Cregagh Road.

Northern Ireland

Chelsea Hamilton. She has red hair tied back, a septum ring and wearing a black jumper.

'He headbutted me, kicked me and I heard my ribs break'

Chelsea says the relationship became "increasingly more violent".

Northern Ireland

Kamile Vaicikonyte

'We do not want to go through this grief again'

Tyrone teenagers urge the infrastructure minister to upgrade the A5, after death of their friend.

Northern Ireland

Caroline Dorsett

'People can be reluctant to give you a wheelchair space'

Joanne Sansome who uses a motorised wheelchair daily says accessing public transport is not always easy.

Northern Ireland

Man in dark jacket with blue shirt

'How could my head do that to my body?'

Dungannon-born businessman John Kelly was driving to Dublin for work when he felt a tightness in his chest.

Northern Ireland

A screen grab from a camera inside an owl nesting box. It shows a mother owl and her four chicks. The mother owl and one of the chicks both have small rodents in their beaks.

A bird's-eye view inside a baby barn owl nest

Conservationists hail success of NI farmer who is providing a breeding ground for owls.

Northern Ireland

A swan and her cygnets swim across a body of water. There is no suggestion of blue green algae in the water. It is a stock image

What is the effect of blue-green algae on wildlife?

Very little is known about the effect of the cyanobacteria on wildlife.

Northern Ireland

Two football pawns on a green table-top. One wearing green and white football kit, the other wearing black and yellow

Garden shed helping players prepare for World Cup

The Subbuteo World Cup is taking place in Royal Tunbridge Wells.

Northern Ireland