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Payout for rape victim identified in local press

The Sunderland Echo has been ordered to compensate a rape victim identified in a report on its pages.

Owners North East Press were fined £2,500 and were ordered to pay £2,500 to the victim by city magistrates.

The court heard how the paper’s description of a victim in a rape trial led to the woman being identified.

The paper admitted identifying the complainant of a sexual offence, contrary to sections 1 (2) and 5 (1) of the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992.

Sunderland Echo editor Rob Lawson told Media Lawyer: “This case is a salutary lesson to all editors of the need to be vigilant with all court reports of cases involving sexual offences.”

Detective Sergeant Nicola Musgrove, of Northumbria Police, said: “This investigation came about because the trial judge was appalled that a rape victim had been identified from a description in the Sunderland Echo.

“I am pleased that the owners and editor have accepted procedures at the paper were not as thorough as they should have been.

“This is a reminder for all editors and their staff that they must not publish anything which could lead to the identification of a victim of sexual assault.

“Although this woman was not named in the report, the way she was described led to her being identified by those who knew her.

“She and her family had already suffered badly from the rape itself and were doubly damaged by the newspaper reporting. I hope the compensation awarded by the court will go towards helping her recover from her ordeal.”

The complaint was raised by Judge Beatrice Bolton during a trial at Newcastle Crown Court earlier this year.

The Attorney General made the decision to prosecute the publishers.