Lily was four years old when she was first sexually abused by her father. She was too young to attend court when he was finally jailed for offences including rape but, now 15, she is left with incomplete memories of the trauma she suffered.
To get the full picture of her father’s crimes and what was said about Lily* in court, however, would have cost her mother, Rosie*, thousands of pounds.
Lily is one of many of victims of sexual offences who have been told that they would face extortionate costs to hear was was said about them. Court transcripts in England are handled by a private company, and although courts can waive fees, victims have been told that it can cost tens of thousands