A woman who says she was sexually abused and ‘groomed’ by a well-known Whitchurch solicitor has been awarded £16,500 damages – despite her alleged attacker dying before the case was heard in court.

The allegations of historic sexual abuse against former Whitchurch solicitor Martin Rogerson led to him being charged by police, but he died in 2015 before his case was heard.

He was the son of former town GP Gerard Rogerson, who died in 2002 but has also been subject to numerous accusations of historic sexual abuse.

Police have investigated more than 25 allegations over the past year from adults who say they were abused by the GP when they were his patients as children.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) – a government led scheme which compensates victims of crime – has already paid out settlements to number of former patients of the doctor, in cases led by abuse claims specialist Victoria Neale, of Hudgell Solicitors.

The CICA has also awarded damages to the woman who alleged being sexually assaulted as a child over a number of years by Martin Rogerson, despite him dying before he could be tried at in a court of law.

The woman, now 50 and who cannot be named, said she decided to speak out having read about the increasing number of successful cases against the GP, and as her own CICA claim relating to his son was successful.

She alleged she was abused by Martin Rogerson more than 35 years ago, saying the abuse mostly happened in his home, but also at Bark Hill House in Whitchurch, his parents' home, when they were on holiday, where it has already been alleged many other children were sexually abused over many years by his father Gerard.

The abuse, she says, started as ‘inappropriate touching’ and advanced to ‘full on gratuitous sex’ over a four to five-year period.

The woman she didn’t speak to anyone about the abuse until in her 40s, but found the courage to do so as there had been high-profile cases in the news.

She said: “I had seen the coverage about people finally speaking out and challenging the behaviour of men who prey on vulnerable and young children and that made me feel that maybe I should too.

“I said to my husband ‘what happened to me was wrong wasn’t it?’, and when I said I thought I should make the allegations he supported me.”

She revealed how she first sought the help of counsellors, and at first was worried even they would not believe her.

“I even asked them if they were sure what he did was wrong and whether they believed me. You doubt yourself and it is difficult to come forward,” she said.

“It was after speaking to counsellors that I went to the police and he was questioned and charged. Sadly, the first thing his solicitor assumed was that I wanted money. I didn’t need or want the money, I just wanted to make the flashbacks and vile memories from my childhood go away.”

Martin Rogerson was set to appear in court in September 2015, however, he died days before he was due to appear in court aged 72, after battling cancer for two years.

Victoria Neale, of Hudgell Solicitors, has successfully supported people in damages claims in relation to Dr Rogerson, and says the CICA scheme provides ‘completely justified compensation’ for those who suffered abuse, especially in cases when there has been no criminal conviction.

She said: “In my work supporting victims of abuse is crucial, I am more and more often the first and only person they have spoken to, this is an extremely difficult brave step. I know that many find standing up to the perpetrator an intimidating prospect, and it is this which understandably prevents people from coming forward and speaking out for many years.

“For many reasons those targeted often suffer in silence because of the sheer the amount of physical or emotional pain inflicted.

“We have seen this in many high profile cases in the media, and indeed with the complaints which were made with regards to Dr Gerard Rogerson, as they were not made until many years after his death and only came after one former patient spoke out.

“It is only right that there is a system in place to ensure people can secure damages, and we are in touch with numerous charities to offer counselling support if they haven’t already, when coming forward to report cases of historic abuse, even if those accused of carrying out the abuse have since died and not been prosecuted. It is completely justifiable and it is why the scheme was established by the government,

“Cases are judged individually and on the evidence available to them, including police investigations and detailed psychological assessments which consider the impact on victims. In this case there has been a substantial award.”