Sexual abuse survivor campaigns to enact 'Simon's Law'
Simon Byrne, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, is campaigning for legal reform after his abuser was found unfit to stand trial. He seeks to ensure that victims receive justice even when defendants are deemed mentally incapacitated.
Why it matters
The case highlights systemic gaps in the legal system regarding the rights of abuse survivors and the handling of unfit-to-plead defendants.
"It was soul destroying, horrible, I felt a sense that justice wasn't done".
Simon Byrne, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, said he was devastated after he had to wait years for his case to get to court only to see his abuser declared mentally unfit to stand trial.
He had reported to police in 2021 the abuse he suffered in Greater Manchester from the age of 11 at the hands of his then boxing coach Patrick Lowe.
But by the time Patrick Lowe was set to stand trial in November 2024, he was deemed mentally unfit to face a criminal trial.
Instead, a fact-finding hearing held over a year ago found that Patrick Lowe had committed the offences, and he was put on the sex offenders register.
"It was the first time in my life in a courtroom and it was a hard slog to get there," Simon said.
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