Woman filmed naked wins 5-year battle in sexual assault case - CfWJ wins again!

[stumbledin]

Article in the Times www.thetimes.co.uk/article/woman-filmed-naked-wins-5-year-battle-in-sexual-assault-case-ct7blbdt9

CfWJ press release:

Christopher Killick pleaded guilty today to an offence of voyeurism, as Thames Magistrates' Court heard how he preyed on Emily Hunt while she was ‘vulnerable’ by taking a video of her naked in a hotel room while she slept.

Emily’s case first made headlines in 2017 after she took to the press to ask why no action had been taken to prosecute Mr Killick in connection with the incident after police first became aware of the footage in 2015. In 2016, the Crown Prosecution Service told Emily that Mr Killick’s behaviour, ‘although bizarre’, was not in their view illegal.

Emily persisted and, following further decisions by the CPS not to prosecute in 2018 and 2019, eventually launched a legal action against the CPS in 2019 as a last resort, represented by solicitors at the Centre for Women’s Justice. She won that legal action in January 2020 after the Court of Appeal, having heard submissions from Emily, clarified the definition of ‘voyeurism’ as an offence.

Mr Killick was then charged by the Crown Prosecution Service in May 2020 and attended court for his ‘first appearance’ today.

Emily Hunt speaks of her relief that 5-year legal battle is now over

Emily Hunt, attending court today, said:

“It has been an incredibly long and difficult five year journey to get here, but I could not be happier that justice has finally been served.”

Kate Ellis, Emily’s solicitor at the Centre for Women’s Justice, said:

‘It was reassuring to hear the Crown Prosecution Service recognise this crime as a ‘serious offence’ in its case summary today. Given that the police and CPS have taken nearly 5 years to accept that Mr Killick’s predatory and exploitative conduct is illegal, today’s result is a welcome relief. We hope that it will embolden other victims of voyeurism to come forward and know that action will be taken.’

Mr Killick’s sentencing has been adjourned to 10am on the 4th September at Stratford Magistrates’ Court.

Well done to all involved! Incredible that this was not initially considered illegal.

I listened an interview with her on Radio 5 this morning. It was a very long in depth interview, the CPS and the police came across very badly. Emily was absolutely tenacious, I'm in awe of her. Well done!

I read that article earlier. Unbelievable that it took that much effort from her. Brave woman. There was video evidence. Why wasn't he charged with sexual assault? Despicable man.

The police wouldn’t take a rape kit.

From The Daily Mail - I know, but the Times paywall

‘Killick, who was stone-cold sober, was duly arrested. For her part, Emily, who ever since has relentlessly pursued the Metropolitan Police for information, later learned that his rucksack contained condoms, Viagra and what was thought to be the hallucinogenic drug LSD. Police also found used condoms in the room. Killick is understood to have told police that he met her in a bar and they went to the hotel and had consensual sex. Yet, astonishingly, despite taking urine samples, the police refused to carry out an internal examination on her until five days later as they said she was ‘too intoxicated’ to consent to it. And when the toxicology results did come back, they showed Emily had ‘definitively’ not been drugged with the date-rape drug GHB – although two years on, re-run results came back as ‘inconclusive’.

Later, Emily found out that CCTV footage showed her leaving a bar with Killick less than a mile from the restaurant and the hotel.

‘It shows me swaying with my arms all over him,’ she says. ‘At various points I’m not able to hold myself up. I’m falling over onto a bench.’

A test later showed that the amount of alcohol in her system was only twice that of the drink-drive limit – under the level at which someone is said to be unable to consent to sex.‘

Good for her but what a joke

This story is terrifying. So this poor woman was out having lunch, she blacks out and wakes up in a stranger's bed and...the police thought that nothing untoward happened? How on earth can that be? What a sick joke.

The CPS and police treated her disgracefully I just hope The judge applies the max sentence which is only 2 years if I understand it correctly.

Institutionally misogynistic

I do some work in forensic medicine. Many many practitioners are very worried about GHB. It's widely used and rarely tested fit with a very short half life.

Emily Hunt you have my total respect.

It is unlikely things will change. Women in real distress being confronted with inept and disinterested legal and law enforcement systems

Voyeurism... how on gods green earth... 2 years (joke). Sex offenders register too?

And and - I would suspect there are other victims out there too.

Emily you're amazing.

5 years of keeping at it FFS.

Something needs to be done.

Considering donating to campaign for women's justice. We have a free spot on the regular donations after a children's charity one was cancelled due to iffiness.

What a disgrace. Well done Emily, shame on you Met police.

YY serenity v likely to be other victims.

Well done Emily- brave woman. How she kept going I can't imagine.
Maybe other women might come forward now???

Rage - she must have had so much indignant rage going on.

I’d be most surprised if no other women came forward to accuse this ‘person’ of the same crime. It doesn’t just ‘happen’ does it?

Terrifying ordeal at every level.

I’ve been thinking more about all the sexual assaults or aggressions that go completely unreported. We don’t even tell our friends about some of it either because we fear judgment or not being believed or that we’re making a fuss because it happens to everyone.

I think she’s amazing

CFWJ can be supported by Amazon Smile, just in case anyone wanted a good cause to sign up to.

It is shameful that this case has taken so long and needed her to fight so hard. Well done Emily for sticking with it.

This is the donate page for CfWJ www.centreforwomensjustice.org.uk/donate

Have been thinking for some time now that feminist issues aren't going to be won by campaigns but by legal actions that set precedents.

So she was too intoxicated to consent to being tested hours later, but not too intoxicated to consent to sex with this man?

I hope the judge gives him the maximum sentence for the voyeurism at any rate.

Poor woman, to have this happen to her in the first place and then to be treated so shittily by the institutions that should have had her back. Like most women who are raped then.