A rape survivor who had to take the public ferry to the Mainland for a forensic examination has launched an online petition calling for a sexual assault referral centre (SARC) on the Isle of Wight.
Bethaney Stone, now 28, made the crossing to Portsmouth after a man raped her in his van at a clifftop car park in October 2016.
Bethaney explained that still wearing the same bloodstained clothes, she was stared at by strangers as she boarded the public ferry. She also said that she had to use a coffee cup to provide a urine sample on the journey so that officers would not lose forensic evidence.
Support from the force
The officer in charge of policing on the Island says she has agreed to tell his officers about her experience, so they can learn from it.
Superintendent Marcus Cator, area commander for the Isle of Wight, said,
“It’s incredibly important that policing learns from this woman’s experience so that we can continue to improve the service provided to victims of sexual offences.”
Online petition
Ms Stone is campaigning with Isle of Wight West Labour MP Richard Quigley, and her petition is on change.org.
She wants a centre on the Island,
“So nobody else has to travel to the mainland for specialist care after such a horrific ordeal”.
A reply on Facebook
Bethaney (pictured right) was 18 and living on the Island when she posted on a local Facebook page asking whether anyone knew of any cleaning work.
A man calling himself Dan James replied, offering £15 an hour to clean caravans.
Except his real name was Kevin Finch.
He picked her up the next morning and, after about half an hour, drove to a secluded clifftop car park, where he attacked and raped her.
Escape from the van
Bethaney fought him off, scrambled into the front of the van and ran until she reached the top of the cliff.
A woman walking her dog found her and called 999.
Officers already held a warrant for his arrest. Police arrested him later that day.
Life sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court
Kevin Finch pleaded guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court in February 2017 to raping Bethaney.
He also admitted two other sexual offences, which Bethaney says took place in 2003 and 2015.
The court jailed him for life in April 2017, with a minimum term of ten years.
Police officers later showed Bethaney internet searches from his computer about how to dispose of a body.
Parole Board recommends open conditions
Bethaney later learned that the authorities were considering Kevin Finch for a move to an open prison.
She went to his parole hearing to read her victim impact statement, but broke down part way through and her victim liaison officer finished reading it for her. The Parole Board went on to recommend him for open conditions.
She said,
“Now, I’m fighting for change.”
You can sign the petition by visiting the change.org website.
Police point to NHS England
Providing a SARC sits with NHS England, with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner also involved in commissioning. OnTheWight has written to the both offices and will update once we hear back.
Superintendent Cator went on to say,
“Discussions remain ongoing with partner agencies and stakeholders, including local MPs, to establish the best and most efficient way that this service can be accessed.”
He said the force would not discuss the case publicly, but that Ms Stone had agreed to share her concerns with officers on the Island.
He added,
“I will personally continue to include her within this process as her voice is a valuable contribution to our learning, especially where those involved in the investigation itself have since retired or left policing on the Isle of Wight.”
Same statement, new location
Much of the superintendent’s statement repeats, almost word for word, what the force told OnTheWight in October 2021.
In it, the force argues that a single specialist centre can afford anti-contamination equipment that smaller units could not, and can keep forensic examiners available while evidence is still recoverable.
It says the SARC,
“Has been located at Newtown in Fareham to ensure easy access for people living not only in Hampshire, but also travelling from the Isle of Wight”.
Travel plans under review
Back in 2021, OnTheWight asked whether Island victims could stay in a vehicle during the crossing, and whether uniformed or plain clothes officers went with them.
The force, then Hampshire Constabulary, declined to say, describing them as “operationally sensitive matters”.
This time, the force again said it could not comment on operationally sensitive matters, including arrangements for specific cases. But Superintendent Cator said the force’s travel plans for officers and victims “will continue to be reviewed based on the feedback that we receive”.
He said,
“My hope is that by listening to victims and learning from their experiences we can continue to make improvements to the service that we provide.”
Anyone affected by rape or sexual assault can find their nearest crisis centre at rapecrisis.org.uk, or call the 24/7 Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Line on 0808 500 2222.
