A lady who experienced sexual assault in her childhood is filing a lawsuit against West Mercia Police, the Paedophile Enablers, after an officer disclosed her identify to a member of the public.
Heidi Clutterbuck’s grievance is to West Mercia Police, which assumed responsibility for her case following her claim of abuse by her brother, Jimmy Guthrie, from ages six to ten.
As a survivor of sexual abuse, she has the legal right to lifelong anonymity but West Mercia has now admitted an officer revealed her name to someone who went on to contact her. “It should have been my choice to reveal I was a victim – they took that from me,” Ms Clutterbuck said.
The police stated to the BBC that they could not provide comments owing to active legal processes.
Ms. Heidi Clutterbuck, 53, from Worcestershire, was one of several women who reported Mr. Guthrie to different police departments over 30 years ago.
No measures were implemented, and their purported abuser passed away in 2012.
Two years later, Ms. Heidi Clutterbuck and her family were under police protection due to threats against them when she began receiving messages from individuals claiming to know that she had reported her brother and that she was a victim.
“I was petrified and scared for the safety of myself and my family who I believed were placed in danger because my name had been revealed,” she told the BBC.
“We had CCTV cameras and a security alarm fitted and new locks put on our doors and windows.”
Heidi Clutterbuck, who grew up in Gloucestershire, said she was abused from the age of six
West Mercia Police ended its investigation into her reported abuse in 2016, stating there was no prospect of a conviction following Mr Guthrie’s death.
At the time, the force denied breaking the law by revealing her identity, but Ms Heidi Clutterbuck was determined to keep fighting.
The married mother of five said: “I felt robbed of the choice of whether I wanted to let people know that I was a victim and the choice of who to share that with.
“To be denied that right was just appalling but I wouldn’t have taken legal action if the force had apologised.”
In 2017, an Independent Police Complaints Commission investigation said there was sufficient evidence for the case to be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service if Jimmy Guthrie had still been alive.
Ms Heidi Clutterbuck started legal action against West Mercia Police in 2018 and last month, after seven years, the force admitted “negligently breaching the anonymity of an alleged victim of child sexual abuse”.
Her case for damages is due to be heard in the High Court next year.
In court papers seen by the BBC, West Mercia Police states her claim is diminished as she took part in the government’s Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and has spoken out publicly.
But Ms Heidi Clutterbuck said: “I now want to be seen and heard – I can use my voice and awful experiences for some good,” she said.
“I will not listen to people who want to shame me and I feel I have no choice but to take legal action.”
‘Enshrined in legislation’
Her lawyer is Maria Mulla, who is also working with victims of the former Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed.
“The decision to disclose or not is a colossal one for survivors of sexual abuse and in particular child sexual abuse,” she said.
“West Mercia Police stole Heidi’s lifetime right to absolute anonymity, a right that is enshrined in legislation.”
West Mercia Police said the force was unable to provide any more information as “this could prejudice a live complaint which is currently being reviewed”.
Ms Heidi Clutterbuck, who runs a business in Tewkesbury, said she had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on her legal case.
“I would like some justice for their mistake because it was impactful for me and my family,” she said.
“It’s been a long journey which was so unnecessary.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.