Victims Walkthrough - After Court
Compensation
If you have been injured or your property has been damaged or stolen as a result of crime, compensation may be available in some cases.
If you have been injured because of a crime of violence you can apply for a payment under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. The responsibility for making a claim is yours. It does not matter whether the suspect has been caught, but there are other rules which determine whether or not you receive any money.
If someone is convicted, the criminal court may order the offender to pay you compensation for any injury, loss or damage which you have suffered because of the offence. If you have suffered financial loss due to theft or damage to your property, the court will need proof of your losses; this can be in the form of invoices, evidence of excess payable on insurance claims or other documents.
You must tell the police if you want the court to consider this type of compensation and provide the documents as soon as possible. The police will forward the papers to the CPS who will make the compensation request in court.
It is possible the court will not order the defendant to pay you all your losses, the court has to consider the ability of the offender to pay, their personal circumstances and the type of sentence the court has already imposed.
Citizen's Advice Bureau
Whether or not the offender is convicted in the criminal courts, you can sue him or her for damages in a civil court. You can find out more about this at your local Citizen's Advice Bureau or by asking a solicitor.
Vulnerable Victims
Unfortunately, some people who have been the victim of crime are more vulnerable, in the short term, to further crime. Whatever the circumstances which led to you becoming a victim, it may be possible to take steps to help reduce the risk of it happening again.
Bail and Probation
If an offender has received a life sentence or has been sentenced to 12 months or more for a serious sexual or violent offence you will get the chance to receive information about when the offender is likely to be released. Your local probation area will normally write to you within eight weeks of the offender being sentenced.