Pregnant woman stabbed 24 times by evil lover can’t claim compo for attack on unborn daughter because she was in the womb
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is refusing to make any payment to the baby because legally she did not count as a person before she was born
A PREGNANT mum stabbed 24 times by her lover in a frenzied attack has been told she cannot claim compensation for her daughter – because she was in the womb at the time.
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority has reportedly refused to make any payment to the baby because legally she did not count as a person before she was born.
Raja pleaded guilty to attempted murder, attempted child destruction, possession of a knife in public, and the wounding and assault of two passers-by
Birmingham businessman Babur Raja, 41, tried to murder his partner and their unborn child in a merciless street stabbing in Sutton Coldfield town centre on March 4.
The thug - who told a court he he had been forced to choose between his mother’s Muslim faith and the “love of his life” - was jailed for 18 years for charges including attempted murder and attempted child destruction.
The court heard the unborn 32-week baby came within 2mm of death, and the mum - who cannot be named - was only saved by her breast implants and the actions of brave passers-by.
After the attack surgeons carried out an emergency caesarean-section to deliver the baby girl and her mum spent two weeks in hospital.
Raja’s victim was brutally attacked in broad daylight outside a church
Now friends have revealed that the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority is refusing to make any compensation payment to the child because she was still in the womb at the time of the brutal attack.
Jacqui Milner : “She is known to many as ‘the pregnant woman who got stabbed in Sutton one Friday afternoon'.
“She is known to some of us as a very strong, beautiful courageous, amazing woman and mother.
“She has just been told that her beautiful daughter, who was nearly killed in the attack, is not eligible for Criminal Injuries Compensation, as she was in the womb at the time.
"What crazy rule is that? Anyway, she is going to fight.”
RELATED STORIES
Legal precedent set in an unrelated Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority appeal states that an unborn child is not a person within the meaning of an 1861 law.
Sentencing Raja in June, Judge Simon Drew QC said it was “highly likely” the couple’s child “will suffer long-term psychological problems growing up knowing what you, the father, tried to do”.
The CICA website says it deals with compensation claims from people who have been physically or mentally injured because they were the blameless victims of a violent crime.
The Ministry of Justice said on behalf of CICA: “This is a tragic case and we deeply sympathise with the victim for the ordeal she and her family suffered.
"The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme provides money to those seriously injured as a result of being a direct victim of violent crime. Payments can only be made to those who meet specific criteria.”
It is understood a final ruling on the mum’s own compensation claim has yet to be made by CICA.
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368