'Court delays saw my abuser declared unfit for trial'

Simon Byrne says his abuser robbed him of "a huge part" of his life

A survivor of childhood sexual abuse has described his "devastation" after he had to wait years for his case to get to court only to see his abuser declared too ill to stand trial.

Simon Byrne, 55, 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 Lowe was set to stand trial in November 2024, he was deemed mentally unfit to face a criminal trial.

A fact-finding hearing in May found Lowe had committed the offences and he was put on the sex offenders register, but Mr Byrne said he did not feel "true" justice had been achieved.

The 55-year-old said: "I feel like [Lowe] has robbed me of a huge part of my life.

"He has not gone to prison, he's not really paid a huge price."

Simon Byrne (pictured) said he was abused for years by his boxing coach

Mr Byrne has waived his right to anonymity in the hope telling his story helps others victims come forward.

He said opening up and reporting the abuse, which lasted until he was 15, decades after it happened had been "very difficult".

Court delays had compounded his ordeal and "really took its toll; mentally and physically", he said.

"It just seemed to drag on and drag on to the point where sometimes I felt like pulling out, I thought 'what's the point'."

Mr Byrne's wife Maria has launched a petition urging the government to change the law around sexual offenders deemed too old or ill to stand trial.

A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said it was "committed to reforming the law around fitness to plead".

They added: "We know that justice delayed is justice denied, and it's clear many cases are taking too long to reach trial."

"That's why we're backing our courts with record funding and asked Sir Brian Leveson to recommend once-in-a-generation reform to tackle delays."

Mr Byrne's wife Maria is calling for the government to change laws around sexual offenders fitness to stand trial

Judge Neil Usher at Manchester Crown Court Minshull Street said the outcome of the case, with Lowe unable to be sentenced because of his condition, "ran the risk of trivialising the seriousness of what [Lowe] did".

"The law [around this type of trial] is being reviewed and may change in the future," the judge said.

A Greater Manchester Police (GMP) spokeswoman said the force understands the length of investigations "can add to the trauma suffered by survivors of sexual abuse".

She said: "We are open with survivors from the start about the complexity and lengths of investigations, and we work with supporting agencies to try and ensure victims are kept updated throughout.

"Every line of enquiry in this complex investigation was followed which resulted in a strong file being submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service and charges being secured."