Lilith
11-15-2007, 08:50 PM
(gg)
LONDON (Reuters) - The Law Lords are due to decidenext week whether an elderly victim can sue a rapistwho went on to win millions of pounds on the lottery. The woman, known as Mrs A, has taken her case to thehighest court in the country after she was told thattoo much time had lapsed for her to bring an action. Iorworth Hoare, dubbed the "Lotto rapist" by thepress, had no money when he was jailed for life atLeeds Crown Court in 1989 for the attempted rape ofMrs A. But in 2004 he won 7 million pounds after buying aticket during day release from prison shortly beforebeing freed on parole. Mrs A, who cannot be named for legal reasons, arguedthat Hoare should be made to pay for his "violent anddisgusting sexual assault" that had left her mentallyscarred. She was 59 when Hoare attacked her as she walked in aLeeds park in broad daylight in 1988. She had not sued for damages at the time of Hoare'simprisonment because she had been told his lack offunds would have made it worthless. She had been awarded 5,000 pounds from the CriminalInjuries Compensation Board. But the High Court said in 2005 that she could notmake a compensation claim because she was outside thelegal six-year limit to sue for damages. The Appeal Court said they were bound to thatdecision. The Law Lords will examine whether the limit is fair.Earlier reports had originally anticipated thedecision would be announced this week.
LONDON (Reuters) - The Law Lords are due to decidenext week whether an elderly victim can sue a rapistwho went on to win millions of pounds on the lottery. The woman, known as Mrs A, has taken her case to thehighest court in the country after she was told thattoo much time had lapsed for her to bring an action. Iorworth Hoare, dubbed the "Lotto rapist" by thepress, had no money when he was jailed for life atLeeds Crown Court in 1989 for the attempted rape ofMrs A. But in 2004 he won 7 million pounds after buying aticket during day release from prison shortly beforebeing freed on parole. Mrs A, who cannot be named for legal reasons, arguedthat Hoare should be made to pay for his "violent anddisgusting sexual assault" that had left her mentallyscarred. She was 59 when Hoare attacked her as she walked in aLeeds park in broad daylight in 1988. She had not sued for damages at the time of Hoare'simprisonment because she had been told his lack offunds would have made it worthless. She had been awarded 5,000 pounds from the CriminalInjuries Compensation Board. But the High Court said in 2005 that she could notmake a compensation claim because she was outside thelegal six-year limit to sue for damages. The Appeal Court said they were bound to thatdecision. The Law Lords will examine whether the limit is fair.Earlier reports had originally anticipated thedecision would be announced this week.