Man Sentenced for Child Abuse over Forty Years Ago: Why It's Never Too Late to Seek Justice

The sentencing of Alan Pearce, who has been jailed for 14 years for raping a young girl and committing three indecent assaults against her, is a powerful reminder that childhood sexual abuse does not have to remain hidden forever.

Pearce, now 70, committed the offences between 1983 and 1985, when the survivor was around seven years old. She reported the abuse to police in 2021, prompting an investigation that ultimately led to his conviction at Leeds Crown Court. Pearce was also made subject to a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

West Yorkshire Police have since appealed for any further potential victims to come forward, stating that their investigation suggests there may be others who have not yet been identified.

Speaking out can make a difference

The courage shown by the survivor in this instance is a reminder that coming forward can make a difference, even after many years. Her report enabled police to investigate offences that might otherwise have remained undiscovered, and has potentially helped identify whether others had also been harmed. In doing so, this case demonstrates that the passage of time does not diminish the seriousness of abuse, nor does it mean that survivors have lost their opportunity to be heard.

If you have experienced sexual abuse, whether recently or in childhood, you deserve to be listened to with compassion, rather than having to navigate the next steps alone. You also have options beyond the criminal justice process, including potential routes to compensation.

For many survivors, disclosing childhood sexual abuse can take years, sometimes decades. Fear, uncertainty and the understandable difficulty of revisiting traumatic experiences can at times make speaking out feel impossible. Others may worry that nobody will believe them, particularly when the events happened so long ago.

Can survivors claim compensation?

In short, the answer is often yes, but there are certain requirements to meet.

There are two main routes worth exploring: a claim through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and a civil claim:

CICA claims

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is a government scheme that can compensate eligible victims of violent crime, including sexual abuse. For survivors of abuse by individuals such as Pearce, this may be a suitable option. 

Applications are assessed against the scheme's eligibility rules, and an offender does not necessarily have to be convicted for compensation to be awarded. However, the process of successfully making an application is subject to some rules. For example, an individual must have reported the abuse to the police. 

There are also time limits to apply, and a claim is most likely to succeed if brought within those time limits. 

• For abuse occurring in childhood, if this was reported to the police before your 18th birthday, you have two years (until your 20th birthday) to make a CICA claim. 
• If you were not able to report the abuse until after your 18th birthday, you have two years to bring a claim from the point of making the report, no matter when that report to the police is made. 
• Whereas, for adult survivors of abuse, the timings are more strict and only allow two years to bring a claim following the end of the offending. 

Importantly, claims can be brought out of time, so a delay in reporting does not automatically mean that a claim is impossible. However, we would need to show that there is a legitimate reason that a claim could not be brought sooner, such as serious mental health grounds.

Civil claims

In appropriate cases, survivors may also be able to bring a civil claim for damages against the perpetrator or an organisation that bears legal responsibility for the abuse. This can be pursued as a civil personal injury claim.

For example, an employer or institution may sometimes be held responsible for abuse committed by someone working for it. This does depend on the particular circumstances of their employment, such as the person's role and how closely the abuse was connected to the activities they were employed to carry out. An organisation is not automatically liable simply because the perpetrator worked for it.

Thankfully, earlier this year, a change in the law came into effect meaning that, when bringing a civil compensation claim, survivors of  childhood abuse no longer face the burden of having justify why they could not come forward sooner. While the legal implications of this change are not the idealised change many of us may have hoped for, it shows a greater appreciation for the importance of not judging survivors for legitimately taking the time to properly process traumatic events.

Alike with CICA claims, a Civil claim is likely to require an individual assessment of the evidence, potential defendants and applicable legal time limits. Specialist advice can help establish whether this route is suitable, and we can help with that.

Justice can mean more than a prison sentence

A criminal conviction can provide recognition of the wrongdoing that has taken place, but it does not necessarily address the lasting effects of abuse, the pain you have understandably endured or the financial consequences survivors may experience. 

While compensation cannot undo what happened, where a claim is possible it may help to acknowledge the impact of the abuse and provide financial support for its consequences.

At Jordans, we believe survivors deserve to understand their options without feeling pressured into taking action before they are ready. We recognise that every person's experience is different, and that seeking justice is a deeply personal decision.

If you have experienced abuse, you may still have options available to you, and you do not need to be certain that you have a claim before seeking advice. The events of decades ago still matter. Your experience is still important, and it is not too late to find out what options may be open to you.