header-logo header-logo

Home Login E-newsletter About us

An imperfect quango?

© Copyright LexisNexis 2025. All Rights Reserved.
14 August 2019 / Veronica Cowan
Issue: 7853 / Categories: Opinion , Criminal
printer mail-detail

Veronica Cowan explains why the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is in the dock

The conviction of former nurse and inspector for the Care Quality Commission, Carl Beech, for perverting the course of justice, and fraud goes some way to assuaging the pain he has caused to those whose reputations he so outrageously traduced. But it also exposes the ease with which the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) can be defrauded, triggering a media backlash. The Ministry of Justice body was set up to provide awards to blameless victims of violent crime, but Matthew Scott, a criminal law barrister at Pump Court Chambers, describes it as ‘a fickle and imperfect quango which awards or refuses government compensation to the victims of crime. It almost always gets it wrong: it pays far too little to those genuinely injured, it often refuses to pay anything at all for quixotic reasons, and it sometimes fails to identify fraudsters.’

Uncorroborated claims

A Ministry of Justice spokesman for the CICA said: ‘False claims are rare but if they occur

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Read All
Sponsored by
NLJ Career Profile: Amarjit Ryatt, Taylor Rose

NLJ Career Profile: Amarjit Ryatt, Taylor Rose

Amarjit Ryatt, recently appointed head of family and divorce at Taylor Rose, discusses the importance of empathy, the potential ofnon-court dispute resolution, and the moments that matter most

Morr & Co—Nick Leavey

Morr & Co—Nick Leavey

Commercial property team welcomes partner

Bloomsbury Square Employment Law—Donna Clancy

Bloomsbury Square Employment Law—Donna Clancy

Employment law team strengthened with partner appointment

NEWS
Read All
Test case on duty of care owed to problem gamblers fails to beat the odds
The bookies have won again, after the Court of Appeal dismissed property millionaire Lee Gibson’s case against Betfair for allowing him to keep betting until he lost more than £1.4m
Housing disrepair claims could learn lesson from whiplash reforms
All housing disrepair claims could be transferred from the county court to the small claims court, and referral fees banned, under reforms being considered by ministers
Protecting against rape myths
The Lord Chancellor, David Lammy, is introducing a raft of reforms to banish rape myths, reduce the use of sexual history as evidence, and protect complainants from re-traumatisation during the trial
Mazur ripples continue in costs world
Costs lawyers predict more costs disputes and more demand for their services as a direct result of the Mazur ruling
Vos MR calls for responses on online procedure rules
Sir Geoffrey Vos, Master of the Rolls, has asked lawyers to respond to a five-week consultation on ‘very straightforward’ online procedure rules
Copyright © 2025 LexisNexis
back-to-top-scroll