Rotherham grooming survivor awarded £425k after suing rapist

It is hoped the case will encourage other survivors to take action

A rapist convicted as part of the Rotherham grooming scandal has been ordered to pay £425,000 in damages to his victim by the High Court.

The grooming survivor, who is known as Liz, started civil proceedings against Asghar Bostan in 2020.

Bostan was jailed for nine years in 2018 following a trial at Sheffield Crown Court.

Liz said she was "proud" to have brought the case and hoped it would show survivors could get justice.

She said she was approached to take the action as a test case.

"I decided to go with it, not having my hopes up, but we managed to get a result," she said.

Her solicitor Robin Tilbrook described it as an "ice-breaker" of a case, which would allow "others to follow".

Asghar Bostan was jailed for raping Liz in 2018

During Bostan's trial in 2018, Liz recounted being raped twice by him at a flat in Rotherham after being given alcohol and drugs.

His prosecution followed the National Crime Agency's Operation Stovewood inquiry into historical sexual abuse in Rotherham.

Liz said despite his conviction she did not believe the judicial process worked for abuse survivors.

"We've been walking around for years and years full of trauma and psychological damage," she said.

She said they had faced a constant battle, but hoped her legal action would show that survivors could come forward and get justice.

"I wanted to give something back not only to myself, but to other survivors and do something not only for Rotherham but for all the UK," she said.

Referring to the damages of £425,934.09 she was awarded, she said it had not "sunk in" yet.

'Never heal the past'

"I am really, really pleased for the outcome and really, really pleased this might open the floodgates for other survivors.

"It will never heal the past, we will always walk in these shoes, but it is about closing a chapter."

Mr Tilbrook said the key question for bringing action was that the defendant had been convicted, in this case of two counts of rape.

"The damage is endured for the life of the victim therefore the amount of damages are always likely to be very large."

He said his client had been "very brave" and was a "great example to all the other victims".

Liz said: "I am proud this is what I have done and this could help so many people."

Bostan was released from prison in 2022, and the Probation Service said sex offenders faced some of the "strictest licence conditions", adding: "If an offender breaches their conditions we will not hesitate to return them to prison to protect the public."