Ex-suspects awarded nearly 15 million euro in damages in 2002

The number of requests for compensation by ex-suspects has been falling since 2001. The total number of such requests fell by 7 percent in 2002, to 4,254.

Ex-suspects who have been kept in wrongful custody in a police cell, a house of detention or prison are entitled to compensation. This is also the case for ex-suspects whose court cases are disposed of without a penalty being imposed.

Compensation claims by ex-suspects

The number of requests for compensation for wrongful custody decreased by more than 11 percent in 2002, to 1,701. Ex-suspects filed 2,553 claims for compensation of costs in 2002, nearly 4 percent fewer than in 2001.

Fewer compensations awarded

The number of damages claims awarded also decreased in 2002. Compared with 2001 the number of claims awarded for wrongful custody fell by nearly 14 percent, to 1,420 in 2002. The number of awards for compensation of costs fell by 4 percent, to 2,285.

Compensation claims awarded

Nearly 15 million euro awarded

The total sum of all the awarded claims in 2002 was nearly 15 million euro. This is over 20 percent more than in the previous year. Seven million euro was awarded to people kept in wrongful custody, an increase of 40 percent compared with 2001. The remaining 8 million euro was awarded as compensation for costs incurred, and was 9 percent up on 2001.

Compensation awarded to ex-suspects

Compared with 1990 the total number of damages claims awarded in 2002 was nearly four times as high. The amount awarded increased much more sharply in the same period, however: it was seven times as high in 2002 as in 1990.

Claims and amounts awarded, 1990=100

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