Heartbroken sisters forced to relive child abuse nightmare
A TRAUMATISED pair of sisters, who were sexually abused as children, have criticised the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority for delays in dealing with their case, forcing them to relive their childhood nightmare.
Rustington woman Lisa Cottingham, 37, and her younger sister Vicky were systematically abused as children by their step-father, Andrew White, of Western Road, Shoreham, who was jailed for his crimes almost two years ago.
Following his conviction, in 2011, they sought compensation for their emotional suffering through the authority.
However, the sisters said that they had had to deal with a catalogue of failings at the authority, claiming that telephone operators had treated them “insensitively” and even suggested their sexual assault wasn’t a “top priority”.
The sisters both feel so strongly about the treatment they have received, they have waived their right to legal anonymity to highlight their ordeal.
Vicky, 27, who works as a nurse and lives in the Worthing area, said: “It’s hard to move on. We both wanted this to be a happy ending and to get some sort of closure, but here we are, two years later, still dealing with it.”
For the full story, see this week’s Littlehampton Gazette (February 28).
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Thursday 20 June 2013
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