In-flight sexual assault victim seeks justice

A victim of a serious sexual assault on a flight from Doha to Gatwick is taking a stand against government regulations that prevent her from receiving compensation for the traumatic experience. The woman, referred to as Kelly, was assaulted by Momade Jussab while she slept on the Qatar Airways flight in September 2024. Jussab was later convicted and sentenced to six and a half years in prison for his crimes.

Kelly argues that there is an unlawful disconnect between the criminal law that brought her attacker to justice and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme (CICS), which fails to compensate victims of crimes on foreign aircraft heading to the UK. Since the legal gap was closed in 1996, attacks aboard UK-bound foreign aircraft can be prosecuted, yet the CIC Scheme has not been updated to reflect this.

She applied for compensation through the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) but was recently refused. In the rejection letter, CICA stated that the crime did not fall in the 'relevant place' as defined by the scheme, which only applies to British-controlled aircraft. Kelly's attack occurred on a Qatari-controlled flight, leading to her ineligibility for compensation.

In her victim impact statement, Kelly expressed how the trauma continues to haunt her, stating; "It has felt so hard and so traumatising to think that anyone would ever want me to do that to me." Following her refusal for compensation, Kelly sought help from human rights lawyers at Leigh Day, who have initiated a judicial review process against Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.

Solicitor Claire Powell highlighted the inconsistency in the law, noting; "The CIC Scheme treats victims of violent crime differently based solely on the technicality of an aircraft’s registration." Legal representatives have urged the Justice Secretary to amend the scheme to close this inequitable gap, emphasising that victims like Kelly need access to compensation for the crimes they endured.

Kelly insisted that she deserves compensation, saying; “I do not understand why I, and other victims like me, have been excluded from the CIC Scheme.” The situation underscores the urgent need for legislative reform to provide justice to victims of serious crimes on foreign flights heading to the UK, ensuring that those affected by such traumatic incidents receive the support and compensation they rightfully deserve.