Bereaved parents support payback

Published on 23/05/2012 02:08

PARENTS of a teenager who was stabbed to death have backed plans to make offenders pay to help victims and their families.

Garry and Michelle Bennett have spent the past 15 months trying to come to terms with the death of their son Dale, 17. They have often been unable to work and their personal savings of about £9,000 are gone.

The couple received emotional help from Victim Support Scotland, which also paid half of Dale’s funeral costs. But the couple received no compensation after the death in Gorebridge, Midlothian, in February last year.

Under the Scottish Government’s plans, courts would have the power to order offenders to pay a surcharge that would go towards a fund to help victims.

Ministers propose a surcharge to fines in the first instance, but believe in future it could also apply to cases where people are jailed or punished by measures such as an on-the-spot penalty.

Mr Bennett, 47, a taxi driver, said: “At the time we received a shoulder to cry on. We were unaware of any financial support; we only realised at a later date, but it’s really helped.”

The Scottish Government has also proposed an automatic right for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence to give evidence from behind a screen or via a video link.

The consultation also proposes people should be allowed to give victim-impact statements to judges in person, if they prefer.

Justice secretary Kenny Mac-Askill said: “The way we treat victims is a measure of the quality of our justice system.”