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| Hampshire police to pay rape victim £20,000 | Hampshire police to pay rape victim £20,000 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Hampshire Constabulary has apologised to a rape victim and agreed a £20,000 out-of-court settlement after officers failed to investigate her complaint properly and arrested her. | Hampshire Constabulary has apologised to a rape victim and agreed a £20,000 out-of-court settlement after officers failed to investigate her complaint properly and arrested her. |
| The woman, who was 17 at the time of the rape in 2012, tried to kill herself after she was told she could face charges for lying about the attack. | The woman, who was 17 at the time of the rape in 2012, tried to kill herself after she was told she could face charges for lying about the attack. |
| Her rapist was convicted and jailed for five years in 2013. | Her rapist was convicted and jailed for five years in 2013. |
| Hampshire Constabulary said it was "sorry for how we let her down". | Hampshire Constabulary said it was "sorry for how we let her down". |
| Laura, which is not her real name, was at a house with friends after a night out when she was raped by a man who was part of the group. | Laura, which is not her real name, was at a house with friends after a night out when she was raped by a man who was part of the group. |
| Laura reported the rape to police in Winchester, but her mother - "Jackie" - told the BBC the officers who responded "weren't very sympathetic". | Laura reported the rape to police in Winchester, but her mother - "Jackie" - told the BBC the officers who responded "weren't very sympathetic". |
| 'Horrified' | 'Horrified' |
| Laura told officers she believed there was forensic evidence on her T-shirt, which implicated her attacker. | Laura told officers she believed there was forensic evidence on her T-shirt, which implicated her attacker. |
| The police did not carry out a full test and failed to find any evidence, Jackie said. | The police did not carry out a full test and failed to find any evidence, Jackie said. |
| Police later arrested Laura on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. | Police later arrested Laura on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. |
| "I was horrified," said Jackie. | "I was horrified," said Jackie. |
| "A woman comes forward and tells the police authority she has been raped: You expect them to do everything they can to put the rapist away." | "A woman comes forward and tells the police authority she has been raped: You expect them to do everything they can to put the rapist away." |
| Jackie believes the officers' attitude to her daughter was influenced by the fact she had been in trouble with the police in the past. | Jackie believes the officers' attitude to her daughter was influenced by the fact she had been in trouble with the police in the past. |
| Her daughter also had mental health problems. | Her daughter also had mental health problems. |
| Following the arrest, Jackie said Laura started self-harming again, before trying to commit suicide twice "because she couldn't cope". | Following the arrest, Jackie said Laura started self-harming again, before trying to commit suicide twice "because she couldn't cope". |
| "She just couldn't believe she wasn't believed," Jackie said. | "She just couldn't believe she wasn't believed," Jackie said. |
| Written warning | Written warning |
| Four months after her arrest, detectives visited Laura to tell her they believed her story. | Four months after her arrest, detectives visited Laura to tell her they believed her story. |
| The Crown Prosecution Service had asked for the T-shirt to be thoroughly tested and the rapist was charged. | The Crown Prosecution Service had asked for the T-shirt to be thoroughly tested and the rapist was charged. |
| Laura began proceedings against Hampshire Constabulary using the Human Rights Act. | Laura began proceedings against Hampshire Constabulary using the Human Rights Act. |
| The force decided to settle out of court and investigated a number of officers involved in the case. | The force decided to settle out of court and investigated a number of officers involved in the case. |
| One was given a written warning and three others were allowed to resign or retire during the internal investigation. | One was given a written warning and three others were allowed to resign or retire during the internal investigation. |
| Jackie said: "I think it is disgusting. | Jackie said: "I think it is disgusting. |
| "If you're in the middle of an investigation and you've been named, they shouldn't let you resign or retire, because you are answerable to that." | "If you're in the middle of an investigation and you've been named, they shouldn't let you resign or retire, because you are answerable to that." |
| She added: "I'm glad that they have admitted that they were wrong. | She added: "I'm glad that they have admitted that they were wrong. |
| "But... if it can happen to my daughter, how many more can it happen to?" | "But... if it can happen to my daughter, how many more can it happen to?" |
| Laura's lawyer, Debaleena Dasgupta, added: "Without the Human Rights Act, Laura would not have been able to seek justice for the shocking way she was treated by the police." | |
| 'We believe you' | 'We believe you' |
| Chief Superintendent David Powell, of Hampshire Constabulary, said initial handling of the case had been "poor". | Chief Superintendent David Powell, of Hampshire Constabulary, said initial handling of the case had been "poor". |
| "We have already personally apologised to the victim and her mother and I repeat here now that we are sorry for how we let her down." | "We have already personally apologised to the victim and her mother and I repeat here now that we are sorry for how we let her down." |
| He added: "The initial officers involved did not treat this victim in a way that she or any other victim would deserve to be treated. We deeply regret this." | He added: "The initial officers involved did not treat this victim in a way that she or any other victim would deserve to be treated. We deeply regret this." |
| He said he wanted to reassure all victims of sexual assault that they would be taken seriously. | He said he wanted to reassure all victims of sexual assault that they would be taken seriously. |
| "We do believe you, we appreciate how hard it is to come forward to report these offences... we are doing everything to ensure we never have an initial response like this again." | "We do believe you, we appreciate how hard it is to come forward to report these offences... we are doing everything to ensure we never have an initial response like this again." |