Glenn Shadbolt - Victims Speak Out

Victims Speak Out

In April 2007 British victims of terrorist atrocities abroad voiced their frustration and anger at the lack of help from the government. Survivors of bombings in Bali, Egypt and Turkey spoke out on the eve of the second reading of a private member's Bill which hopes to introduce a system that would allow the families of those killed or injured to be paid compensation.

A clause in most travel insurance policies means that no money is paid out to victims of terrorism. The Bill, sponsored by Labour peer Lord Brennan and backed by the human rights group Liberty, proposes that most of the scheme's funds could be met through new insurance premiums, with a fallback fund provided by government as a last resort.

Speaking at the House of Lords Glenn Shadbolt, 22, said the horrific effect of the attack had been exacerbated by the complete lack of help. Now blind in one eye, with a severely damaged shoulder, he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder and was unable to continue a university course because of "mental health issues".

"The impact of it all has been devastating. It's like we have been swept to the side and forgotten. I have had no help since I got back," he said. Mr Shadbolt lives with his parents, who pay his prescription costs and for his regular trips from Midhurst, West Sussex, to Moorfields eye hospital in London.

He was joined by other families who received little or no support in the wake of being caught up in attacks abroad. Sharon Holden lost her daughter Helyn Bennett, 21, in the Turkey bombings and other members of her family were seriously injured.

"When we got home there was no aftercare," she said. "It's a good job we have got good friends and family."

Trevor Lakin, whose son Jeremy, 28, died alongside his girlfriend Annalie Vickers, 31, in the Egypt attacks, said that less than 15% of travel insurance policies provide cover for terrorism. He said: "All we're asking for is to give the British citizens what they would have got had they been in Blackpool or Bournemouth.

"People have had their lives devastated by terrorism and to not help them in their hour of need is unbelievable," he said. "This just adds additional trauma."

Introducing his Bill, Lord Brennan said that compensation - estimated at £3m - would barely dent the public purse. He hoped that insurance companies would cover the cost. In 2006, he said, 10 million British tourists were not covered for medical emergencies in the event of a terrorist attack.

Tobias Ellwood, Conservative MP for Bournemouth East, said he would give the Bill his support if it made it to the House of Commons.

"I lost my brother in the Bali bombings and the lack of support from the government was colossal. I had to wade through 200 corpses in the baking sun to find my brother. My sister and I had to nail the lid onto his coffin. Terrorism knows no borders and neither should our support of victims of terrorism."

Lord Brennan's Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill will receive its second reading in the House of Lords on Friday 20 April 2007.

British victims of terror attacks overseas and their families gathered in Westminster at 11:30 on Thursday 19 April to call for a government assistance scheme proposed in a Private Members Bill by Lord Brennan QC.

Backed by the human rights group Liberty, the measures seek to provide the same long-term financial and emotional support to British victims of terror attacks overseas that victims of terrorism in the UK receive.

Approximately 50 British families who suffered terror attacks while on holiday abroad since 2002 have expressed disappointment at the lack of government support offered during their time of need.

The level of support offered to the families by the government differed greatly when they sought help with repatriating bodies, medical expenses, funeral costs, long term counselling and compensation for loss of earnings.

Trevor Lakin, who lost his son Jeremy in the Sharm el Sheikh 2005 terror atrocity, said: "While nothing will bring our son back to us, we want to ensure that other families who face similar tragedies in the future receive the help they need. Dealing with this on our own has been intolerable."

Liberty Director Shami Chakrabarti said: "A lot is said by politicians about victims of crime in general and victims of terrorism in particular.

Here is a welcome opportunity for politicians of all colours to unite in putting fairly modest sums of money where their mouths are. Warm words and draconian legislation don't help people rebuild their lives. This bill could."

In 2005 the Prime Minister said he would consider setting up a compensation scheme for British victims of terrorism overseas, but to date no Government plan has been announced.

The majority of insurance companies maintain a "terrorism exclusion clause" which makes insurance an unreliable option for victims.

Speakers include: Lord Brennan QC tabled the Victims of Overseas Terrorism Private Members Bill which will receive its second reading on Friday 20 April; Glenn Shadbolt was critically injured in the Sharm el Sheikh bombings in 2004 when he was 20 years old.

He has had numerous operations, suffers from stress and can no longer attend university; Sharon Holden lost her daughter and four of her family members were critically injured in a terror attack in Turkey in 2005.

Her family are still recovering and have received insufficient financial help from the Government; Trevor Lakin's son Jeremy was killed in Sharm el Sheikh in 2005 and he has campaigned tirelessly for an adequate Government help scheme for victims' families. Photos of the families and their loved ones are available for journalists.

Lord Brennan's Victims of Overseas Terrorism Bill will receive its second reading in the House of Lords on Friday 20 April 2007.

The bill would create a UK statutory scheme providing advice, assistance and compensation in respect of injuries sustained in terrorist incidents outside the UK by creating an Overseas Terrorism Award Scheme.

This will be the first time since the 11 September 2001 terror attacks in the USA that Parliament has debated this issue despite the terrorist attacks on innocent British holiday-makers abroad.