Monica’s demented mother-in-law was raped in the domestic service.
The family is now fighting to get the compensation of SEK 270,000 – but has been refused by the Kronofogden.
– I who thought you had to brag, says Monica.
But according to the Crime Victims’ Authority, this is nothing unusual.
The article in brief
■ The family of an 80-year-old woman who was raped in a domestic service is fighting to get the damages awarded – and criticize the protracted process.
■ After six months, the family has received a response from the Bailiff that the convicted person has no assets to seize.
■ The Crime Victims’ Authority states that it is common that it takes time, and tells you how to proceed.
The verdict was handed down in June.
Then the former municipal politician Angel Villaverde (MP) was jailed for three years and four months, for raping a demented woman in her 80s. He worked in home care in Timrå municipality, and the elderly woman was one of his users.
In addition to prison, Villaverde was sentenced to 270,000 kroner in damages.
It is money that the family is now struggling to get out.
Received an answer after six months
Daughter-in-law Monica, who discovered the undressed ex-politician in her mother-in-law’s bed, says that they have not received any information on how to proceed, but have had to find out everything themselves.
So far without results.
– We started by sending papers to the Crime Victims’ Authority, which after several weeks replied that they could not help us and referred us to the Crown Prosecutor, says Monica.
She continues:
– We sent papers to the Bailiff last summer and got a reply last week that he has no assets that can be seized. So now it’s just a matter of starting over with the Crime Victims’ Authority again.
“Haven’t got a shit”
Monica calls the drawn-out process “deplorable”, and thinks it feels “too damned”.
– He is probably in no great need. He’s sitting inside with food and room, while we’ve only suffered from it and haven’t received a single piece of shit, she says.
The affected woman has received some compensation from her home insurance, but there is still 170,000 kroner missing, says Monica.
– That’s a lot of money, especially for an old person, she says.
– I thought that if you are sentenced to damages, you have to pay, whether you want to or not, whether you have assets or not. If you have a debt elsewhere and screw up paying, it will be sour afterwards, but here it doesn’t seem to be like that.
That’s what the Crime Victims’ Authority says
At the Crime Victims’ Authority, Magnus Öhrn, head of the criminal damage unit, says that it is not unusual for the process to take a long time.
Advertisement
– We get daily reactions to this, he says.
He states that the first instance to obtain damages is the Bailiff, who investigates the convicted person’s assets – which can take up to twelve months.
– If there is an ability to pay, the Kronofogden pushes the money in, but it is common for it to not is able to pay.
The next step is to seek compensation via the assault cover in the home insurance, according to Magnus Öhrn.
– But it rarely provides full coverage for what you are entitled to, and then you can make an application to us. We collect all the required documents, look at the individual case and examine each case on its merits, he says.
Long investigation times
The Crime Victims’ Authority calculates the amount that has come from elsewhere, such as home insurance, and then pays out what is left up to the full compensation – or more.
– But the most common thing is that we arrive at the same amount as the court. And according to the Criminal Damages Act, we cannot provide compensation for interest, says Magnus Öhrn.
Even at the Crime Victims’ Authority, an investigation takes time, and currently the processing time is seven to nine months compared to the previous three to four months, due to the fact that the number of cases a couple of years ago increased drastically, from around 10,000 per year to around 14,000.
Magnus Öhrn also advises victims of crime to leave the claim for compensation with the Kronofogden.
– What you have received from the home insurance, you have the opportunity to receive additional compensation for, if the perpetrator gains the ability to pay in the future.
That way you get compensation
■ The fact that a court has ordered a person to pay you damages does not mean that you will automatically receive the money.
■ Most often, it is the Bailiff who helps you collect damages from a perpetrator. To get help with that, you need to fill in an application form, or use the authority’s e-service.
■ If the perpetrator does not have money to pay with, you can receive compensation from your insurance company.
■ You can also apply for criminal damage compensation from the Crime Victims’ Authority.
■ In some cases, the court can decide that the police must pay the compensation, if the perpetrator had money that was confiscated. In that case, it is stated in the judgment.
Sources: The police, the Crime Victims’ Authority, the Crown Enforcement Officer
