Sexual exploitation victim 'felt sick' after BBC reporter named her on live radio
Woman had lifelong anonymity by law
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A victim of sexual exploitation felt “sick” when her name was mistakenly broadcast on BBC radio, a court has heard.
The woman, who has lifelong anonymity by law, told Sheffield Magistrates' Court in a witness statement that she went into a “full meltdown” and was “panicking and crying” when reporter Rickin Majithia said her name during his coverage of one of the Rotherham sex abuse trials.
Mr Majithia’s editor at the BBC Asian Network Arif Ansari, is accused of breaching the Sexual Offences Act 1992, which entitles every victim of a sexual offence anonymity for life.
The court heard that Mr Majithia, listened as the victim gave evidence during the abuse trial at Sheffield Crown Court last Feburary.
She testified behind a screen to protect her identity.
Mr Majithia mistakenly thought the first name used for her in court was a pseudonym and safe for him to broadcast.
He then prepared a report on the proceedings to be delivered that day and sent off his script to Mr Ansari, the station's head of news, for approval ahead of his live report.
Giving evidence, Mr Majithia said he had not covered a trial before and had never sat in a crown court case.
The woman said in her witness statement that it had already been extremely difficult for her to give evidence in the sex abuse trial, but then while she was listening to BBC radio live later she heard her name broadcast.
“To then have my name given out as a victim of rape on a BBC radio station was unbelievable," she said. “I immediately panicked but carried on listening. I cannot believe this has happened to me,”
Prosecutors described Mr Majithia as “very driven and a bit of a loose cannon” and said an earlier broadcast on the case that day was “very poor”.
While Mr Ansari had no reason to suspect the name used in the script was not a pseudonym, prosecutors alleged he should have suspected Mr Majithia could have got it wrong because of his inexperience.
He is the first BBC editor to ever be charged under the Act,
He denies the charges against him.
The trial continues.