An anonymous woman was the victim of a horrific sex crime as she slept onboard a Qatar Airways aircraft in September 2024. The attacker, Momade Jussab, was arrested at Gatwick Airport and was ultimately sentenced to 78 months in prison.
An anonymous woman was the victim of a horrific sex crime as she slept onboard a Qatar Airways aircraft in September 2024. The attacker, Momade Jussab, was arrested at Gatwick Airport and was ultimately sentenced to 78 months in prison.
Had the attack occurred on land, the woman would have likely been entitled to compensation under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. But, due to the specific wording of the scheme, her request and subsequent review were both rejected.
The CICA confirmed their findings in a letter stating that, due to the location not falling within the ‘relevant place’ as defined in the scheme, she was not eligible for an award. The issue arises from Annex C of the scheme, which states that the ‘relevant place’ can be ‘(a) a British controlled aircraft within the meaning of section 92 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982’. As the aircraft in which the attack took place was Qatari-controlled, she was ineligible for compensation.
There is a stark discrepancy here between the CICA scheme and the Civil Aviation Amendment Act, which catches criminal acts that occur on foreign-controlled aircrafts, providing that the next and final destination is the UK. This amendment meant that the attacker could be charged, but as the CICA have not adopted the amendment, the survivor of the attack could not be compensated for what she endured.
The Justice Secretary has been asked to close the gap as soon as possible – their response is awaited.
What is the CICA?
The CICA is a government organisation that aims to compensate blameless victims of violent crime.
Please contact our Personal Injury department if you believe that you may be entitled to compensation.